{"id":898557,"date":"2026-09-20T05:30:21","date_gmt":"2026-09-20T05:30:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/898557\/"},"modified":"2026-09-20T05:30:21","modified_gmt":"2026-09-20T05:30:21","slug":"david-benavidez-three-man-hit-list-named-before-jump-up-to-heavyweight","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/898557\/","title":{"rendered":"David Benavidez three-man hit list named before jump up to heavyweight"},"content":{"rendered":"

David Benavidez<\/a> is closing on a crucial phase of his career where three fights, in particular, could see him become boxing\u2019s next pound-for-pound king.<\/p>\n

The 29-year-old became a three-division world champion in May, dethroning Gilberto Ramirez with a sixth-round finish<\/a> for the WBO and WBA cruiserweight titles.<\/p>\n

Since then, Benavidez has flirted with the idea of moving back down to light-heavyweight but now appears set to remain at 200lbs.<\/p>\n

He is, after all, the mandatory challenger to Michal Cieslak, who was elevated from \u2018interim\u2019 to full WBC champion following Noel Mikealian\u2019s ninth-round stoppage defeat to Jai Opetaia last weekend.<\/a><\/p>\n

Benavidez is therefore likely to enter a three-belt unification match with Cieslak on December 12, before targeting a more appealing clash with Opetaia for Cinco de Mayo weekend in 2027.<\/p>\n

With \u2018The Mexican Monster\u2019 having one fight remaining on his Premier Boxing Champions contract, too, he may embrace the opportunity to become a free agent and work with Dana White\u2019s Zuffa Boxing.<\/p>\n

Either way, father and trainer Jose Benavidez Sr has expressed his interest in the Opetaia fight, while also telling BOXING n BBQ<\/a> that he would entertain showdowns with Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev.<\/p>\n

Jose Benavidez Sr. reveals the HIT LIST he and David have in mind\u203c\ufe0f<\/p>\n

\ud83e\udd4a Jai Opetaia NEXT
\ud83e\udd4a Artur Beterbiev
\ud83e\udd4a Dmitry Bivol
\ud83e\udd4aMAYBE move up to HEAVYWEIGHT\ud83d\udc40 pic.twitter.com\/F09Rijy83I<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 BOXING n BBQ (@BOXINGnBBQ) September 17, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

While still the unified king at 175lbs, Bivol has previously teased a move up to cruiserweight and Beterbiev, especially at this stage in his career, would surely benefit from making the same 25-pound jump.<\/p>\n

As for Benavidez\u2019s long-term future, though, it appears that his father is keen for a move up to heavyweight, where the former super-middleweight champion would look to follow in the footsteps of Roy Jones Jr.<\/p>\n