David Benavidez chats it up with The Ring to talk about his attempts to make some big fights and his willingness to move up in weight to make it happen. Here, Benavidez says he’s targeting fights against Jai Opetaia, Dmitry Bivol, Artur Beterbiev, Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury as he looks to cement his legacy in the sport. Here’s some of what he had to say below.

Benavidez on his attempts to fight Bivol

“We been trying to make that fight with Bivol for a long, long time. It looks like he’s not willing to take any of these big fights. He still hasn’t fought since he fought Artur Beterbiev. So, I don’t know what’s going on with Bivol, what his plans are, but I have my intentions set on this cruiserweight division. There’s a lot of great fights here…I want the fight versus me and Jai Opetaia, Cinco de Mayo weekend in T-Mobile Arena.”

On if he could potentially move up to heavyweight

“The heavyweight division is a division I definitely got my eye on, too. We got two great fights at cruiserweight before we get up there first. We got Jai Opetaia, then I think Beterbiev is going to come up to cruiserweight. And then after that I definitely want to get in a fight with Usyk and I seen Gypsy King mention my name. So, right now I’m only here to test myself and to try to be great. So if we can get in a fight with Usyk and Tyson Fury, that’s something I’m willing to do.”

On the potential to fight Beterbiev at cruiserweight

“Beterbiev has definitely reached out to our team and he’s been actively trying to make that fight. So, we’re going to give him exactly what he wants. I respect Beterbiev. He’s like 45-years-old, so the fact that he’s calling me out, I got a lot of respect for him.

“That’s a great fight for the public. Two of the most violent fights you could possibly make happen, so I’m all for it.”

On the toughest fight for him between Bivol, Beterbiev, and Opetaia

“I’m being 100% honest with you guys. The hardest challenge out of any of those fighters is Bivol. Bivol is all around a great fighter. He has great movement, he has great fundamentals, great defense. So, that in my opinion would be the hardest fight out of all of them but they’re all good fights.”

Moses It will hurt has made up his mind whether or not he will be sticking with trainer Ben Davison for his next fight.

Davison received criticism in the aftermath of Itauma’s maiden world title fight against Filip Hrgovic in Augustwith the youngster initially dominating the action but tiring as the rounds went on, with his exhaustion leading to a ninth round stoppage defeat.

Itauma is set to return to action in January, with some fans wondering whether or not he would look to switch trainers ahead of the bout, but promoter Frank Warren has told Playbook Boxing that the 21-year-old will be remaining with his current coach.

“There has been a conversation, and the proof will be in the pudding. He’s staying with Ben and the team. That’s where he is at. You’ve got to judge him now on his results, which is what we’ll do. AJ is back with Ben for his next fight, and there is a reason for that.

“It is always the case. If a fighter is winning, the trainer is great. If he gets beat, [he’s not great]. I signed off on that fight. At the end of the day, if any of them fight, that’s down to me.

“I accept my responsibility for that, and everyone has to accept responsibility for it. You expect certain things to happen in fights and certain things to happen in training. It is what it is. We have to move and move forward. It is exciting times.”

It means that alongside Itauma, Davison’s stable now also consists of Fabio Wardley, who faces Daniel Dubois in a WBO heavyweight title rematch next weekand Anthony Joshua, who has returned to Davison ahead of his battle with Tyson Fury in December.

Oscar De La Hoya called Keith Thurman “over the hill” while explaining why Golden Boy is discussing him as Vergil Ortiz Jr.’s next opponent. That is a rough way to sell a fight, especially when the explanation ends with the promoter apologizing for being involved.

“Keith Thurman, yes, he’s a good fighter. He’s not the great fighter he was before. He’s over the hill,” De La Hoya told AB Boxing News in Chicago.

De La Hoya described Thurman as “almost like the only choice” for Ortiz, pointing to his name and experience. He also said Ortiz has been out for a year and could use the fight to get back into the groove.

That explains what Golden Boy hopes Ortiz gets from the matchup. It does considerably less for anyone being asked to watch it.

Thurman’s name is the selling point, but De La Hoya openly acknowledges that the fighter attached to it has faded. The proposed bout sounds like a comeback exercise for Ortiz dressed up with an opponent people remember from better days.

“I know the fight is not one of those championship-level, you know, undefeated versus undefeated,” De La Hoya said. “It’s not a fighter who is in his prime. I know what the situation is, but it is what it is.”

Ortiz needing rounds after a long absence is a reasonable argument. Whether Thurman can provide the kind of work that prepares him for stronger opposition is another question. Beating a recognizable veteran does not automatically tell us how ready Ortiz is for the division’s best.

De La Hoya’s claim that Thurman was the only available fight also needs more explanation. He did not name the other opponents considered or explain what prevented those bouts.

“I’m sorry to be part of it, but the Vergil Ortiz–Keith Thurman fight, if it happens, it’s the only fight that was available,” he said.

The fight remains under discussion. Already, its own promoter sounds resigned to it. If Golden Boy moves ahead, selling Thurman as a serious threat will be difficult after De La Hoya has supplied the argument against him.