Oleksandr Usyk vs David Benavidez might be a reality for 2027, and it would see Usyk moving back down to cruiserweight, not Benavidez going up to heavyweight.

But the former undisputed cruiserweight king would rather face Benavidez (32-0, 26 KO) at cruiserweight, because he’d like to go undisputed at that weight a second time, matching what he’s done as a heavyweight.

Usyk (25-0, 16 KO) vacated all of the heavyweight titles this year, and his only fight for 2026 is going to wind up being a sort of curious novelty bout where he stopped kickboxing legend Rico Verhoeven in the 11th round, after 10 rounds of struggle that left several questions.

It’s entirely possible this would wait until the late summer or early fall of 2027. Usyk’s birthday is in January, so he’ll be 40 if and when this fight does take place, whether it’s that late into next year or earlier.

Will Usyk vs Benavidez happen, and do you like the idea? Let us know down in the comments section, and even if you’re on the go, you can join the conversation with the SB Nation app for iOS or Android!

Vasiliy Lomachenko looks set to return and target the undisputed super-featherweight title, but one unified world champion has told the veteran to take a warm-up first, so that he has no excuses if he comes out second best.

‘Loma’ became a three-division world champion but was always vocal in his ambition to become an undisputed world champion and had that dream crushed when he lost a controversial decision to Devin Haney in 2023.

Lomacheko captured the IBF lightweight title the following year with a stoppage victory over George Kambososbut announced his retirement in 2025 before recently U-turning on that decision and announcing his comeback.

Since then, it has become obvious that he is targeting all four of the world titles at 130lbs, three of which are suddenly in the hands of Texas’ O’Shaquie Foster – who defeated Emanuel Navarrete on Saturday – and the other being held by Belfast’s Anthony Cacace.

Now, it remains to be seen which champion Lomachenko will target first, but Foster told Fight Hub TV that he would want the 38-year-old to have an alternate outing before they potentially meet.

“I want Loma to get a tune-up fight or something because, when I beat him I want no excuses, man. He has been retired.

“He can think whatever he wants, but I need him to get a tune-up fight because I don’t want no excuses when I beat him. I don’t want none.”

Lomachenko’s planned November return appears to have been pushed back to February, where he could collide with the victor of Cacace’s WBA title clash with Nick Ball, which takes place on Saturday, December 19.

However, it is understood that Filipino contender Charly Suarez is the man in line to be Lomachenko’s opponent, due to his position as the WBO mandatory challenger.

Therefore, fans could instead see Foster and either Cacace or Ball go toe-to-toe in an undisputed title showdown, with Lomachenko potentially positioned for a shot at the winner.

Canelo Alvarez attempts to return to the super-middleweight throne this weekend as he challenges for Christian Mbilli’s WBC title on Saturday.

Mbilli was elevated to full world champion when Terence Crawford retired from the sport, just three months after the he had dethroned Alvarez to become boxing’s first post-war three-division undisputed champion.

Now, 13 months on from that clash – where Mbilli appeared on the undercard – both Canelo and the French-Cameroonian champion end the longest periods of inactivity in their respective careers as they collide with one another.

Speaking with ESNewsJose Benavidez Sr anticipated a difficult fight for Alvarez, due to the hunger of the reigning WBC super-middleweight champion.

“I think that Canelo should win, he has got more experience and we have seen what he has done. I am just hoping that, on that day, the body wants to go, but at the end of the day it is a tough fight.

“Mbilli is coming for everything, he is younger, he is fresher and I think that it is a good fight. It all depends how Canelo comes, we have seen Canelo wanting to come [forward] but the body is just [not there].

“The way that he walks, the way that he throws his punches are not the same, so hopefully this time he comes a little bit better, but I think that he can beat Mbilli – that is what I think.”

Meanwhile, whilst also predicting a Canelo win, three-division world champion David Benavidez told DAZN Boxing that he expects his foe to ‘walk through Mbilli’ without much trouble.

“I think that Canelo walks through him. I think that Canelo is a great fighter, he is levels above Mbilli. I don’t disrespect Mbilli but I don’t think that he is on Canelo’s level and it is a great fight for Canelo, stylistically.

“I think that he [Canelo] has been wanting a fight like that because he has been fighting more boxers [that brawlers]Terence Crawford and the Cuban guy that he fought before [William Scull].

“I think that this fight is more tailor-made for his style, so it is going to be a good fight for him. I expect him to win by knockout.”

Canelo-Mbilli takes place on Saturdaywith the likes of Jaime Munguia and Rafael Espinoza appearing on the undercard.