David Benavidez’s father and trainer, Jose Benavidez Sr., has shelved a potential world title fight while his son targets other delicate heavyweight and cruiserweight champions.

The 29-year-old will face one of such fighters on May 2, when he will headline the Premier Boxing Champions gala against Gilberto Ramirez at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Benavidez, who has never fought at 200 pounds before, is entering uncharted waters as he tries to dethrone the WBO and WBA world champion.

Still, many believe the American’s dizzying hands and incredible engine are too much for Ramirez, who won the 2024 titles by dethroning Arsene Goulamirian and Chris Billam-Smith.

These two performances were followed by another unanimous decision victory, this time against Yuniel Dorticos last Juneand the “Zurdo” has now established itself as a top-class cruiser.

But while Benavidez must remain focused on the task ahead, his father is already naming players such as Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev as potential opponents.

So it appears that even with a victory over Ramirez, the WBC delicate heavyweight champion will likely return to 175 pounds.

One fight that has effectively been ruled out is against Jai Opetaia, whose IBF cruiserweight world champion status remains uncertain after winning the inaugural Zuffa title against Brandon Glanton last week.

I’m talking to Sean ZittelBenavidez Sr. insisted that the conflict between his son and Opetaia may have a future but does not deserve attention at the moment.

“I think so [Opetaia] gets hurt [time] fights; gets injured [by] warriors we don’t even know. I think he needs a little more experience.

“He doesn’t have the experience of David. I think in about three or four years he will be better. I see Beterbiev, Bivol and “Zurdo” Ramirez [as being] more unsafe than Opetaia.

“Everything is possible in the future. [But] I don’t see myself fighting for the Zuffa belt right now. At the moment our thoughts are focused on Bivol, Beterbiev and “Zurdo” Ramirez.”

If Benavidez returns to 175 pounds after the Ramirez fight, then an undisputed clash with Bivol becomes increasingly likely.

Williams, 29, has won four straight fights since suffering the only defeat of his career. This defeat occurred in June 2024 when Hamzah Sheeraz stopped him in the 11th round.

These victories helped Williams establish himself in the middleweight division, even though he faced opponents a step below the championship level he currently faces.

Adames has a much more arduous task. The 31-year-old champion fights with constant forward pressure and wields real power in both hands, especially in the upper body. His record is 24-1-1 with 18 knockouts, with many of his victories coming from gradually weakening his opponents throughout the fight.

Adames has already shown that he can win at a championship level. He presses forward, lands powerful body shots and forces opponents to fight at close range. If Williams allows him to lead and dictate changes, the champion’s power and pressure could become an issue as the fight progresses.

If Williams allows Adames to control the pace, the champion’s pressure and punching power could become a major issue as the fight progresses into the later rounds.

This fight will be Williams’ first chance to win the world title (21-1, 13 KO). The American southpaw has advantages in height and reach, and relies on movement, a steady jab and the ability to close distances quickly when gaps appear.

The key question is how Williams deals with a proven champion who applies constant pressure during the fight.

Williams has remained lively and rebuilt his confidence since the loss to Sheeraz. Saturday’s fight will show whether he is ready to fight the best middleweights or whether the championship level of the division is still one step away from him.

Oleksandr Usyk has planned his “last dance”, or at least named the fight he likes the most, before his clash with Rico Verhoeven.

The Ukrainian will face Verhoeven, a Dutch kickboxing legend, on May 23, defending his WBC world title in the Egyptian Pyramids of Giza.

This is Usyk’s first appearance since July last year, when he became a three-time undisputed two-division champion. defeating Daniel Dubois in the fifth round.

Although the heavyweight king has experience in facing his fiercest rivals, it must be admitted that his next task is not entirely as expected.

After all, Verhoeven had only one professional boxing fight – against Janos Finfer, whose record at the time was 0-5 – which he won in the second round in 2014.

Usyk, on the other hand, established himself as the greatest heavyweight of his era with two wins over Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua and Dubois respectively.

However, at the age of 39, the masterful southpaw claimed he only had three fights left, including a crossover fight with Verhoeven.

Usyk then told Inside the Ring that he is looking forward to facing the winner of Fabio Wardley’s WBO title defense against Dubois on May 9.

Finally, according to the interview, a trilogy with Fury seems to be his perfect swan song Related press – before it’s time for a great career.

“In my head, Tyson Fury, this is the last dance.”

In 2024, Usyk overtook the “Gypsy King” twice, and their first meeting ended in a split decision after Fury suffered a ninth-round knockout.