Benavidez Says Opetaia Fight Can Wait as Cruiserweight Run Begins

David Benavidez is moving up again, but this time he is not pretending the path is simple.

With his cruiserweight debut set for May 2 in Las Vegas, Benavidez has been clear about one thing. He is not ready to jump straight into a fight with Jai Opetaia, even if that fight sits at the top of the division.

“I’ve got to be 100 per cent honest. I need to get myself started at cruiserweight first because Opetaia is a beast,” Benavidez said earlier this week. “I’ve been watching him. I like him a lot. He’s a great fighter. Let me get up there and see how it is.”

The comment landed because Benavidez is not known for slowing things down verbally. His career has moved fast, often fueled by pressure and a belief that his style travels. This time, he sounded like a fighter taking inventory rather than issuing a challenge.

The immediate task is already demanding enough. Benavidez will face Gilberto Ramirez for the WBA and WBO cruiserweight titles at T-Mobile Arena during Cinco de Mayo weekend. It will be his first fight at 200 pounds and his first test against a full sized elite cruiserweight.

The move places his light heavyweight title on hold and pushes him into a division where physical parity is no longer guaranteed. At super middleweight and light heavyweight, Benavidez often carried size and strength into the ring. At cruiserweight, he will be meeting fighters who have lived there for years.

Opetaia represents the hardest version of that reality. The unbeaten IBF champion is widely viewed as the division’s most punishing force, combining pressure with durability and pace. His recent promotional move alongside Dana White and Zuffa Boxing has only sharpened attention on his push toward full unification.

Benavidez understands what that kind of fight requires. He has already tested whether his power survives weight jumps. Against Anthony Yarde, it did, ending the fight inside seven rounds. That result earned confidence, but it did not erase the unknowns that come with another jump.

Beating Ramirez would pull Benavidez directly into Opetaia’s orbit. His own words suggest he knows that rushing toward that fight would be a gamble. For now, the plan is simpler. Get in the ring.  Learn how cruiserweight fights back.