David Benavidez and Jai Opetaia are set for a colossal clash in 2027 after the two cruiserweight behemoths agreed to face each other at the weekend.
Three weight world champion Benavidez was ringside as Opetaia produced a stunning ninth round stoppage to beat Noel Mikaelian on the undercard of Ryan Garcia vs Conor Benn in Las Vegas in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Whilst Garcia grabbed the majority of the headlines after brutally beating the Briton in just two rounds, fight fans were already salivating after one of the biggest fights in boxing had seemingly been agreed just an hour earlier.
Moments after Opetaia had made a successful defence of his Ring and Zuffa Boxing belts, mandatory challenger Benavidez confronted the Australian inside the ring, with the two quick to shake hands on a provisional agreement.
"Let’s do it here next year, Cinco de Mayo here next year," expressed the unbeaten 'Mexican Monster' Benavidez, with Opetaia, who has also never lost a professional fight, quickly responding, "Done".
It means the pressure will now firmly be on the two management teams to thrash out terms, although given the bout is understood to be one of the 'dream fights' on Saudi Arabian boxing bankroller Turki Alalshikh's wishlist, the expectancy is that a full agreement will be quickly reached.
Twenty-nine-year-old Benavidez, who stopped Gilberto Ramirez last time out in May, paid tribute to his likely next opponent but held no reservations in providing his insight into how the fight will pan out.
"This is a great fighter right here, a strong fighter, but there can only be one monster in this weight division, and that’s me," he said.
"I respect this man so much -- he’s a bogeyman in the division, but I’m the person they call when it’s time to kill the bogeyman.
"This man is a great fighter, and we’re gonna give the fans a great fight. I like this man. He looks like he likes war. I’m the exact same way."
Benavidez (32-0, 26 KO) currently holds the WBA cruiserweight title with that belt likely to be on the line next year, whilst Opetaia (31-0, 24 KO) is currently in possession of the Zuffa cruiserweight belt and is considered the division’s lineal champion by the Ring Magazine.
