Jai Opetaia Targets Benavidez-Ramirez Winner Ahead of May 2
jai opetaia put himself back in the title picture by calling out the winner of Gilberto Ramirez and David Benavidez ahead of their May 2 WBA and WBO cruiserweight fight. The 25-0 cruiserweight wants the winner next, even after the IBF stripped him of its belt following his move to Zuffa Boxing and a non-title sanctioned fight.
Opetaia Calls Out The Winner
"Hey, you talk about fighting the best, this and that. Don’t talk about it. I’m right here. The winner out of Zurdo vs. Benavidez, let’s go." Opetaia’s message was direct, and it pointed straight at the bout that will decide the WBA and WBO cruiserweight titles on May 2.
Ramirez enters at 47-1, while Benavidez is 29-0. That makes the fight a clean target for Opetaia, who is still trying to keep his name attached to the top of the division after losing the IBF strap.
Benavidez Sr. Sets The Terms
Jose Benavidez Sr. pushed back on the matchup from their side. "That ship has kinda sailed now that Opetaia doesn’t have the [IBF belt] because what are we gonna fight for, the Zuffa belt?"
He said the fight was likely something they imagined on a different timeline. "I think the thing that happened with Opetaia, it pushed that fight back longer than it has to be." He added, "We were probably thinking [it would happen] in a year."
Benavidez And Ramirez Paths
Benavidez Sr. said the timing has shifted again. "Now we’re probably thinking two, three years." He also said, "We’ve gotta sit down and see what happens with this whole thing with Zuffa, because it’s apparent they’re not messing with the WBC, IBF or any of those titles."
He tied any future deal to the belt situation. "At the end of the day, I’m fighting for these titles, so we would have to see what’s gonna happen for us to make that fight possible."
That leaves Opetaia chasing the winner of a fight that already has title stakes attached, while Benavidez’s camp is looking at the division through the lens of belts. Ramirez has also said he could end his boxing career within the next two fights, adding another layer to the race around May 2.
