Boxing
Benavidez rejects Jai Opetai Zuffa’s title fight
Published
3 weeks agoon
David Benavidez set a clear stance after his victory over Gilberto Ramirez, saying that the fight with Jai Opetaia would not take place on Zuffa’s terms.
“I don’t know why he went to Zuffa,” Benavidez said after his victory over Ramirez. “I’m not going to go out there and fight for Zuffa’s title. Dana White hasn’t shown that he wants to fight PBC or DAZN. If we can come to an agreement and have a large fight, let’s do it.”
The timing of Opetai’s transfer to Zuffa Boxing is extremely convenient for Benavidez. By signing Dana White, Opetaia lost his IBF title. Benavidez is now using this lack of equipment as a reason to ignore this fight, seeing it as a step back as he wants the older and unified titles.
Claiming that he won’t fight on Zuffa’s terms means disqualifying him from business. It sounds more professional than saying he doesn’t want to step into the ring with a southpaw who has Opetai’s speed and strength, but fans aren’t buying it, especially since they were linked to the fight long before the Zuffa deal.
Calling Dmitry Bivol right now is a protected bet because such a fight is basically impossible to make in the compact term. On May 30, Bivol will be busy with Michael Eifert, and at the end of this year he will probably start a great trilogy with Artur Beterbiev.
By targeting Bivol, Benavidez is effectively booking a tight schedule that doesn’t include a fight until 2027. This allows him to remain in the conversation as an elite melee contender without having to face the cruiserweight gold standard in Opetai.
Shortly after, Opetaia responded on social media: “Enjoy your winning champion… See you soon!!!”
The mood on social media has changed.d For a long time, Benavidez was the bogeyman that everyone avoided, especially Canelo Alvarez.
Now the tables have turned at 200 pounds. The fan sentiment at X today is that Benavidez is running to 175 to find a guy with a full dance card so he doesn’t have to deal with Jai.
If Benavidez truly wanted to prove he is the king of the cruiserweight division, the Opetaia fight is the only one that will truly settle the belt-or-no-belt debate. Choosing the path of a two-year wait for Bivol rather than a blockbuster combining the promotion with Opetaia makes the fear narrative demanding to ignore.
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Last update: 2026/05/03 at 9:25
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Boxing
Canelo responds to David Benavidez by offering him a featherlight heavyweight title fight
Published
1 hour agoon
May 23, 2026
Canelo Alvarez has commented on David Benavidez’s recent call for a clash between the two teams.
Canelo and Benavidez have been linked to a fight for many years, dating back to when they both competed at super middleweight.
While Canelo remains one of the key fighters at 168 pounds, Benavidez has since moved up the rankings, becoming the WBC featherlight heavyweight champion for the first time claiming he defeated Gilberto Ramirez earlier this month win the WBA and WBO cruiserweight titles.
Following this victory, Benavidez was linked to fights with the likes of Dmitry Bivol and Jai Opetaia, but he once again made it clear that he would offer Canelo a chance to win the WBC 175-pound belt.
Canelo has now responded by revealing in a media interview with Boxing News that he’s not surprised that Benavidez challenged him again, but he doubts that “The Mexican Monster” will still be able to make the featherlight heavyweight limit after moving up to cruiserweight.
“Every boxer in any category challenges me. It’s nothing modern for me. He did well in the fight [against Ramirez]. I’m not surprised [he called me out]but I don’t think he can get to 175 pounds anymore. It’s not my problem.
Canelo has already competed at 175 pounds twice, but for now a move to featherlight heavyweight seems unlikely given his current world title shot against WBC super middleweight champion Christian Mbilli in Riyad, Saudi Arabia on September 12.
Boxing
Mayweather Legal Case: $175 Million Fraud Suit, Child Support Order
Published
3 hours agoon
May 23, 2026
Floyd Mayweather Jr. he spent Friday on both sides of the dock. The retired, undefeated former champion filed a lawsuit accusing former associates of defrauding him of at least $175 million, the same day reports surfaced that a Nevada judge had ordered him to pay more than $1 million in child support. These developments include the $340 million lawsuit Mayweather filed against Showtime in February and a number of smaller claims against him over the past few months.
$175 million fraud case
According to court documents obtained by TMZ SportsMayweather maintains that Jona Rechnitz, a former close associate, spent years gaining his trust before becoming his de facto financial manager, real estate broker and banking broker. The complaint named Rechnitz, Ayala Frist, Frist Apex Ventures and attorney Alexander Seligson, accusing the group of orchestrating a multi-year scheme that allegedly depleted Mayweather’s accounts through fraudulent investments, unauthorized wire transfers and undisclosed business entities.
Among the claims, Mayweather alleges that approximately $100 million worth of jewelry was transferred to Miami jewelers in exchange for approximately $13 million, with most of it still held by dealers; that he committed $7.5 million to an investment that never came to fruition; and that $15 million related to the real estate settlement was transferred without his consent. The filing also alleges that he unknowingly signed documents transferring ownership of his Gulfstream jet, leaving the buyer’s section blank, and that he did not know where the proceeds went. The allegations have not been tested in court and the named parties have not publicly responded as of the filing date of the lawsuit.
Maintenance order
Separately, a Nevada judge found Mayweather, 49, to be the legal father of a 4-year-old girl, Price Moorehead, and ordered him to pay $32,850 a month in continuing support and $933,050 in back payments, he claims. documents reported by Complex and originally obtained by TMZ Sports. The paternity ruling was made in March 2026. The case began in 2023, when Paige Moorehead, who, according to the documents, worked at the Mayweather’s Girl Collection club in Las Vegas, filed a paternity petition. The court granted a default judgment after Mayweather failed to comply with an order to submit to DNA testing. Data cited in the report shows that about $151,000 has been paid toward the remaining amount, and a judge has granted a lien on California properties linked to Mayweather of up to $2 million to secure payment.
Showtime Suit
The novel filings are the culmination of a $340 million lawsuit Mayweather filed in February against Showtime Networks and former Showtime Sports president Stephen Espinoza in Los Angeles County Superior Court. That complaint alleges that Mayweather’s former manager and advisor, Al Haymon, orchestrated a long-running financial fraud scheme involving the network and Espinoza, citing four causes of action, including aiding and abetting breach of fiduciary duty and civil conspiracy to commit fraud. In the complaint, Haymon was described as the architect of the alleged scheme but was not named as a defendant. Espinoza said he was surprised by the lawsuit and defended his records, while a spokesman for Showtime’s parent company, Paramount, called the claims baseless. Details of this report were described in a previous report by Boxing Insider.
The bigger financial picture
The proceedings are ongoing alongside a number of separate claims against Mayweather. He faced a $7.3 million IRS tax lien, lawsuits from two Miami jewelers over unpaid bills, a dispute over more than $300,000 in unpaid rent for a Manhattan apartment and a claim for private jet services. Mayweather, who retired in 2017 with a 50-0 record, remains lively in the exhibition ring and has been linked with a rematch with Manny Pacquiao scheduled for September in Las Vegas.
Boxing
Devin Haney reignites debate over Vasily Lomachenko’s decision
Published
5 hours agoon
May 23, 2026
Three years later, Devin Haney is still defending the most disputed victory of his career, and after his latest post on X, fans immediately turned their attention back to the fight with Vasily Lomachenko.
Haney reacted after criticism of George Kambosos Jr.’s journey. to become undisputed in the lightweight division, reminding people that he defended his belts against Lomachenko after defeating Kambosos twice in Australia.
Great and all… don’t forget that the belts were defended against Loma 😎 https://t.co/c95r79Beos
— Devin Haney (@Realdevinhaney) May 23, 2026
The response quickly reopened one of boxing’s longest-running arguments of the last few years. A huge portion of fans and media members still believe that Lomachenko deserved the decision for the May 2023 fight in Las Vegas, especially after the way he finished the second half of the fight.
Many observers scored the championship rounds for Lomachenko, with round ten remaining the biggest point of controversy. Referee Dave Moretti awarding this round to Haney was met with weighty criticism at the time, and is still regularly mentioned when the fight is discussed on the Internet.
Others defended Haney’s victory as a close but reasonable decision based on his early work, jabs, body shots and distance control. Haney also entered the fight with major physical advantages over Lomachenko, including youth, height and reach.
Haney was 24 when he fought Lomachenko, who was already 35 and further into his career. Haney also had a significant reach advantage and was viewed by many as the naturally bigger lightweight.
The fight continues to divide opinion across boxing, with some fans still calling it a robbery while others see it as a final decision that could reasonably have gone either way.
Dan Ambrose is a boxing journalist at Boxing News 24, respected for his direct analysis and extensive coverage of the global fighting landscape. His reports focus on the most essential fights, division development and the most discussed stories in sports.
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Last updated: 23/05/2026 at 8:32
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