Two-weight world champion Tim Bradley has predicted how a fight between David Benavidez and Jai Opetaia would go.
Benavidez has reigned at super-middleweight and currently holds the WBC light-heavyweight world title, but ‘The Mexican Monster’ is seeking honours in a third division, scheduled for a tough test against unified cruiserweight champion Gilberto Ramirez in May.
Should he be successful, it is unknown whether Benavidez could be persuaded to stick around as a cruiserweight or whether he will stay true to his word and return to light-heavyweight, in pursuit of a clash with Dmitry Bivol.
However, if he opts to remain at 200lbs, Opetaia is the man that fans will be demanding him to face, despite the fact that the Australian has been stripped of his IBF world title, after outpointing Brandon Glanton on his Zuffa Boxing debut.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Hall of Fame inductee Bradley spoke of that potential clash, where he explained why he believes Benavidez would have little trouble in handing Opetaia a first career defeat.
“He [Benavidez] would have stopped Glanton, he would have served him. I understand that styles make fights, I get that. However, s**t, Benavidez’s style breaks through anything, breaks through any style. He has been in there with boxers, he was in there with [David] Morrell, that can punch, he can box, southpaw just like Jai Opetaia.
“Y’all didn’t see his last couple of fights beforehand? Y’all ain’t see his fight with [Mairis] Briedis? Bro, the dude ran out of juice, he ran out of gas and Briedis is a small dude. Benavidez trains at 200lbs and then he works his way down to 175lbs.
“He has still got that hand speed and quickness and has probably got more pop in his shots at 200lbs or at 190. At cruiserweight, he is going to be cold, he is about to beat the s**t out of Ramirez, he is about to whoop Ramirez’s a** … After that, Jai Opetaia is going to get it too.”
Zurdo-Benavidez takes place on Saturday, May 2, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, whilst Opetaia is plotting his next move after being stripped of his IBF belt.
Next weekend’s cruiserweight clash between Viddal Riley and Mateusz Masternak has now become all the more meaningful, with the victor expected to earn a shot at the vacant IBF crown, likely against former WBO champion Chris Billam-Smith.