Opetaia Rejects Eight-Month Wait For Benavidez

Ring champion Jai Opetaia says he won't wait eight months for David Benavidez and plans to fight twice before their May 2027 showdown.

The unbeaten Australian cruiserweight stopped Noel Mikaelian in the ninth round on September 12 and called Benavidez into the ring afterward. The two verbally agreed to meet on Cinco de Mayo at T-Mobile Arena, but Opetaia now says the timeline makes no sense. "I don't want to wait until May for my next fight," Opetaia told the Mr. Verzace Podcast, per The Ring. "That's ages away. I'd love to get one more fight in this year, and then one more early next year, and then we can fight in May. I'm not going to wait until May sitting around. It doesn't make sense to me."

What Opetaia's Schedule Means For Benavidez Clash

Benavidez defends his WBA and WBO cruiserweight titles against Michal Cieslak on December 12. The WBC elevated Cieslak to full champion after stripping Mikaelian for taking the Opetaia fight instead of facing Benavidez, his mandatory challenger. The sanctioning body ruled the winner of Opetaia-Mikaelian would become mandatory for the winner of Benavidez-Cieslak.

Opetaia told the podcast he'd be ready to face Benavidez in December if needed. The 31-year-old Australian improved to 31-0 with 24 knockouts against Mikaelian and holds Ring Magazine's cruiserweight championship. Benavidez, 32-0 with 26 knockouts, ranks No. 1 at light heavyweight and cruiserweight in The Ring's ratings and No. 5 pound-for-pound. He also holds the WBC light heavyweight title.

After calling Benavidez into the ring in Las Vegas, Opetaia said he wanted to lock in the fight. "They told me he was in the crowd, so I tried to find him and call him in," Opetaia said. "I wanted him to say that. I just want to concrete the fight." Benavidez called the Australian the division's boogeyman but said he was the man to take him out.

The Benavidez-Cieslak winner faces Opetaia as mandatory challenger, assuming the Australian wins his next fight. That December 12 card airs live from T-Mobile Arena.

Source: ringmagazine.com