Robert Garcia: Give Benavidez Two More Fights And He Beats Usyk

Veteran trainer says Benavidez needs a few more fights before moving to heavyweight and challenging the unified champion

Robert Garcia believes David Benavidez can eventually defeat Oleksandr Usyk if he continues developing at cruiserweight before moving up to heavyweight. The veteran trainer says two or three more fights could prepare Benavidez for a future showdown with the unified heavyweight champion.

Benavidez (31-0, 25 KOs) captured the WBA and WBO cruiserweight titles last month with a sixth-round stoppage of Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The victory made him a three-weight world champion and immediately sparked discussion about how far he could climb.

“Give him a couple more fights at cruiser[weight]. I don’t know how much more Usyk’s gonna fight, but give me two more fights, two or three more fights, and then go to heavyweight, and Benavidez beats Usyk,” said Garcia to ESNEWS about Benavidez.

The comments came as speculation continues over Benavidez’s long-term future. While the unbeaten star has not ruled out a move to heavyweight, he has indicated that any jump would likely come further down the road, with his immediate plans centered on either cruiserweight or a return to light heavyweight.

Usyk, meanwhile, remains the unified heavyweight champion following his victory over Rico Verhoeven on May 23. The Ukrainian retained his titles by stoppage in a fight that generated considerable debate afterward, with some observers questioning aspects of the finish.

At 39 years old, Usyk has repeatedly spoken about being closer to the end of his career than the beginning. That timeline is one reason Garcia believes Benavidez could eventually find himself in a position to pursue a heavyweight showdown.

Benavidez’s focus remains on establishing himself at cruiserweight after his title-winning debut, while Usyk faces decisions regarding his next move, including a potential defense against mandatory challenger Agit Kabayel.

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