Former cruiserweight world champion Tony Bellew has backed David Benavidez to defeat Jai Opetaia if the pair meet in 2027. Bellew believes Benavidez possesses the relentless work rate required to match the Australian’s aggressive pace in a potential cruiserweight unification bout.
Benavidez was ringside at the weekend to watch Opetaia secure a ninth-round stoppage victory over Noel Mikaelian. That fight featured as the chief support slot on the Ryan Garcia against Conor Benn card. The bout had originally been expected to carry world title status. However, WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman refused to sanction the contest after Mikaelian failed to fulfill his mandatory defense obligation against Benavidez. As a consequence, the 35-year-old Mikaelian was stripped of his title, and Michal Cieslak was upgraded to full WBC champion.
Cieslak is now expected to make his first defense against Benavidez on 12 December. Benavidez became a three-division world champion in May by dethroning Gilberto Ramirez with a sixth-round finish, having already held major belts at super-middleweight and light-heavyweight. If the 29-year-old American emerges victorious against Cieslak in December, he could defend all three of his belts against Opetaia next year.
Analyzing the potential 2027 matchup on the DAZN broadcast following Opetaia’s win, Bellew picked Benavidez to prevail. He stated: “There are ways both could win the fight, but I edge towards Benavidez. I just think he does not stop. He’s the only [cruiserweight] that can match Jai Opetaia’s relentlessness. He can take it to another level … Iron sharpens iron, I can’t wait to see this fight.”
Both combatants have verbally agreed to face each other in 2027.
Opetaia, who previously held the IBF title, now competes as the Zuffa Boxing cruiserweight champion. Regardless of which belts are on the line, a showdown between Benavidez and Opetaia is widely viewed as one of the best contests that can be made in boxing today.
