{"id":571137,"date":"2026-05-07T13:54:09","date_gmt":"2026-05-07T13:54:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/571137\/"},"modified":"2026-05-07T13:54:09","modified_gmt":"2026-05-07T13:54:09","slug":"roy-jones-jr-sums-up-david-benavidezs-chances-of-beating-usyk-to-become-heavyweight-champion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/571137\/","title":{"rendered":"Roy Jones Jr sums up David Benavidez’s chances of beating Usyk to become heavyweight champion"},"content":{"rendered":"

David Benavidez<\/a>\u2019s cruiserweight title win has fans discussing a potential heavyweight move, where he could join Roy Jones Jr as the second fighter to reign at both super-middleweight and heavyweight. Now, Jones has spoken about a possible showdown between Benavidez and unified heavyweight ruler Oleksandr Usyk.<\/p>\n

Jones joined Bob Fitzsimmons as the only fighters to have held world titles at both middleweight and heavyweight, but \u2018Captain Hook\u2019 also captured super-middleweight honours \u2013 which were introduced long after Fitzsimmons\u2019 retirement.<\/p>\n

Now, having become the youngest ever super-middleweight champion back in 2017 and going on to claim light-heavyweight and cruiserweight world titles<\/a>, Benavidez is being linked with a move up to boxing\u2019s glamour division.<\/p>\n

Speaking on the All The Smoke Fight podcast<\/a>, Jones told Benavidez to avoid a fight with cruiserweight threat Jai Opetaia, and to do everything in his power to take on Usyk as soon as possible.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is one of the biggest fights of this decade right now. Take it while it is hot, don\u2019t play with \u2018em and don\u2019t let \u2018em play with you.<\/p>\n

\u201cGo up and fight Usyk while it is hot, while it makes sense. You can always come back down and fight Opetaia if you want to, if you lost to Usyk, the Opetaia fight is still there. If you lose to Opetaia, the Usyk fight is gone.<\/p>\n

\u201cBe smart about this thing, go and take Usyk while the iron is still hot. If you beat Usyk, you won\u2019t ever have to see Opetaia, unless he comes up to heavyweight.\u201d<\/p>\n

In terms of the fight itself, Jones refused to rule out the chances of Benavidez replicating his accomplishment and dethroning the undefeated Ukrainian.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn a boxing ring, with those 10oz gloves on, anything can happen.\u201d<\/p>\n

Whilst a heavyweight move could make history<\/a>, Benavidez seems to be set on a challenge for the undisputed light-heavyweight crown, against unified champion Dmitry Bivol.<\/p>\n