Oleksandr Usyk’s team responds to growing interest in potential David Benavidez fight

The possibility of a future fight between Oleksandr Usyk and David Benavidez is beginning to gain attention across boxing after Benavidez’s recent success at cruiserweight. Following Benavidez’s victory over Gilberto Ramirez to capture the WBO and WBA cruiserweight titles, conversations quickly shifted toward what could come next.

Speaking with Pro Boxing Fans, Ready To Fight CEO Sergey Lapin — a close advisor to Usyk — acknowledged that a matchup with Benavidez would be appealing. “It could be a very interesting fight and definitely one that would attract a lot of attention from fans worldwide. It’s definitely an interesting option for Oleksandr,” Lapin said.

Benavidez‘s dominant win made him a three-division world champion and opened the door to several major opportunities. While an undisputed light-heavyweight clash against Dmitry Bivol remains a possibility, the unbeaten American has also shown interest in eventually moving up to heavyweight.

Benavidez continues building momentum after cruiserweight title win

Benavidez strengthened his reputation last weekend with an impressive stoppage victory over Ramirez in his first fight at 200 pounds. The performance immediately fueled discussion about how far he could go in higher weight classes.

David Benavidez punches WBA/WBO cruiserweight champion Gilberto Ramirez. Steve Marcus/Getty Images

At 29 years old, Benavidez still holds the WBC light-heavyweight title while also carrying momentum from his cruiserweight success. That flexibility gives him multiple options moving forward, including a possible showdown with Bivol or an eventual jump to heavyweight.

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Saudi boxing figure Turki Alalshikh has already publicly expressed interest in staging a Benavidez-Usyk fight in 2027, adding even more attention to the idea.

Usyk remains focused on upcoming title defense

Before any future discussions become serious, Usyk still has business ahead of him. The heavyweight champion is preparing to defend his titles against Dutch kickboxer Rico Verhoeven on May 23 at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt.

Usyk remains undefeated and continues to be viewed as one of boxing’s top pound-for-pound fighters after victories over Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury, and Daniel Dubois in recent years.

For now, the Benavidez matchup remains only a possibility, but interest around the fight continues to grow as both fighters stay active near the top of the sport.