David Benavidez admits he’s not ready to face one champion ‘beast’: “I have to be honest”

With his cruiserweight debut set for May 2 in Las Vegas, David Benavidez has been discussing another challenge — one he admits cannot be taken on immediately.

Earlier this week, unified champion Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez (48-1, 30 KOs) announced that he will defend his WBA and WBO titles against Benavidez (31-0, 25 KOs) at the T-Mobile Arena.

The Cinco de Mayo weekend clash offers Benavidez the chance to become a three-weight world champion, having already claimed titles at super-middleweight and light-heavyweight.

Benavidez’s reign as WBC champion at 175lbs will be put on hold as the ‘Mexican Monster’ jumps another 25lbs to face the Sinaloa native.

Ramirez, however, is not the only titleholder at cruiserweight. Noel ‘Gevor’ Mikaelyan holds the WBC belt, while IBF champion Jai Opetaia is widely viewed as the division’s most feared force.

The undefeated Australian recently announced a new promotional partnership with Dana White and Zuffa Boxing as he targets undisputed status at 200lbs.

Alongside Ramirez, Opetaia (29-0, 23 KOs) sits at the top of the cruiserweight tree, his concussive power sending a chill through the division.

Victory over Ramirez would place Benavidez firmly in Opetaia’s crosshairs, but the 29-year-old admitted that he would not necessarily rush into that matchup.

“I’ve got to be 100 per cent honest. I need to get myself started at cruiserweight first because Opetaia is a beast. 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. I don’t shy away from any fighter. It would be a great fight.”

Benavidez showed he had carried his power from 168lbs to 175lbs with an emphatic defence of his light-heavyweight title against Anthony Yarde, stopping the Brit in seven rounds. On May 2, he will discover whether that power translates once again — this time against one of cruiserweight’s elite.