“Hey, you’re talking about fighting the best, this and that. Don’t talk about it. I’m here. Winner of Zurdo vs. Benavidez, let’s go,” Jai Opetaia told The Ring.

Opetai’s comments come just days before Benavidez fights Ramirez for the WBA and WBO cruiserweight titles scheduled for May 2. The fight gives Benavidez a chance to secure his first 200-pound belt after moving up from lightweight heavyweight.

The Australian was preparing for a unification opportunity and used the moment to press his case, calling out both fighters rather than focusing on one opponent.

The IBF’s decision to strip Opetaia following his move to Zuffa Boxing has already impacted the perception of this fight. Jose Benavidez Sr. cited the lack of a title and narrow profile as reasons why the fight doesn’t make sense at this point.

Opetaia previously held the IBF cruiserweight title and remains one of the most avoided fighters in the division, with several proposed fights falling through over the past year.

His latest statement puts immediate pressure on the outcome of Saturday’s fight, and a clear next step is already being pushed publicly.

Opetaia’s fight with the Ramirez-Benavidez winner will take the division closer to full unification, depending on how the remaining titles are handled.

For now, our focus is on Saturday’s fight, but Opetaia has made his position clear – he expects him to be next.

Jared Anderson was supposed to be boxing’s next Mike Tyson. Nineteen fights into his career, and the hype surrounding this claim is already perceptible on the canvas.

When Anderson burst onto the scene over a three-month period in 2019-20 with a string of first-round knockouts, the excitement was obvious. The sport finally had an American heavyweight with real support from a major promoter and the kind of power fans could follow from day one, something that hadn’t been seen since the rise of Deontay Wilder.

Top Rank leaned in behind him, Bob Arum talked about the future champion, and Tyson Fury even went as far as calling him the heir apparent as the hype gained momentum.

In the ring, Anderson did what was expected, knocking people out and adding to his list of highlights. Outside of it, the first cracks were already there, although then they were simple to erase.

He was newborn, attractive, and different enough to stand out, although there were times when his focus didn’t quite live up to expectations.

The first warning signs

The first real turning point came when Anderson lined up to fight Zhan Kossobutsky in what would be a real step forward. This fight was a fiasco and he was replaced by Charles Martin, completely changing the vibe of the moment.

Anderson won in his hometown of Toledo, Ohio, and followed it up with another victory over Andrii Rudenko in Tulsa. However, it no longer had the edge it had initially provided, and the momentum that had once seemed unstoppable began to plateau.

On November 6, 2023, Anderson was arrested for improperly handling a firearm in a vehicle while under the influence. He spent about eight hours in custody before being released and later pleaded not guilty to a firearms offense and received a suspended sentence.

That alone should be a warning. Four months later, he was charged again after allegedly leading police on a six-mile chase at speeds in excess of 120 mph. He later apologized, but the situation increased concerns about his focus outside the ring.

Bakole exposes the gap

When Anderson faced Martin Bakole, everything that had been building beneath the surface was exposed overnight. He was dropped early, broken and stopped after five innings in a performance that exposed the chasm between hype and reality.

Since then, reconstruction has provided little certainty. A decision victory over Marios Kollias in 2025 raised more questions than answers, especially as Anderson struggled to impose himself in a fight he was expected to dominate.

Even during this victory, problems were evident to the point that Tim Bradley took to commentary to call his performance “terrible” after Anderson in the corner complained that he was throwing elbows instead of following instructions.

No declaration of winning

Now 2026 is following a similar pattern, with Anderson ruled out of his planned UK debut due to injury, adding to the uncertainty around him.

He’s nineteen fights into his career and still hasn’t had a win that changes anything at the highest level, even though he has strength and support that will never fully run out.

Failures, performances and problems outside the ring all point in the same direction, making the original narrative increasingly tough to maintain.

Jared Anderson was supposed to be the next Mike Tyson. At this point, that comparison isn’t precise, and the gap between expectations and the lack of a standout win hasn’t disappeared.

About the author

Phil Jay is the editor-in-chief of World Boxing News (WBN) and a boxing veteran with over 15 years of experience. Since 2010, he has been interviewing world champions, breaking down international titles exclusively and reporting from the ring. His work is distributed across major platforms including Apple News. Read the full biography.

Canelo Alvarez’s opponent revealed ahead of his return to the ring.

Canelo last saw action in September suffered a sad defeat against Terence Crawford at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, losing the undisputed super middleweight crown in the process.

Crawford retired shortly after the fight, which meant that the world titles became fragmented as different fighters began to grab the belts.

Earlier this year it was announced that Alvarez was set to return to action in September, and now it has been announced that he will have the opportunity to face one of the newly crowned world champions.

According to the RingCanelo will face WBC super middleweight champion Christian Mbilli.

“BREAKING: Canelo Alvarez and Christian Mbilli are under contract to fight in Riyad in September for the WBC super middleweight championship, @ringmagazine has learned. Canelo enters a sedate fight in his first fight since losing to Terence Crawford. What an action-packed fight!”

Undefeated star Mbilli was previously the WBC interim super middleweight champion, and in his last two fights in June 2025, he defeated Maciej Sulecki by first-round stoppage before drawing Lester Martinez three months later.

Despite this draw, he was later promoted from interim status to full WBC champion, and in recent weeks he has made it clear that he is keen on a showdown with Canelo.

Mbilli will now get his wish as two of the top fighters in the 168-pound weight class prepare to clash later this year.