Usyk eyes Benavidez as Wilder gets Opetaia showdown

Oleksandr Usyk has confirmed he is targeting a return to cruiserweight to face undefeated champion David Benavidez.

The Ukrainian legend revealed the plan during Canelo Alvarez's fight weekend in Riyadh.

"I cleaned the heavyweight and make my weight," Usyk told Mike Coppinger live on DAZN PPV.

"It's a big fight because Benavidez is a big champion. Me, a little bit, too."

Usyk, 39, was undisputed at cruiserweight before moving up to heavyweight.

He repeated that feat twice at heavyweight, beating Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois.

Now he wants to go back down to 200 pounds for what could be his final run.

Benavidez currently holds the WBA and WBO cruiserweight titles.

He is scheduled to face Michal Cieslak next month for a chance to claim a third cruiserweight world title.

The IBF belt remains vacant.

Johnny Nelson, the longest-reigning cruiserweight champion in history, told talkSPORT Boxing that Usyk can dominate again at the weight.

"He got in the ring and showed his six-pack and I thought, 'he can do the weight well,'" Nelson said.

"For him to dominate cruiserweight, dominate heavyweight and then go back down to cruiserweight and dominate, which he can do, I think is history-making."

Nelson added that money is a factor.

"Even though he is the best heavyweight in the world, he has not made as much money as Fury or AJ," Nelson said.

"So he wants the money fights, high-risk, low-reward."

Chris Billam-Smith, the former WBO cruiserweight champion, welcomed the news.

"Probably it's fair to say it knocks me down a spot in the world rankings!" he told Sky Sports.

"But it's also great for the division, a huge name for the division that really probably has been the face of boxing, definitely in terms of achievement."

Billam-Smith also saw an opportunity opening up.

If Benavidez fights Usyk, he won't be facing Jai Opetaia next.

Opetaia, the unbeaten Australian cruiserweight star, is stepping up to heavyweight for a December 11 showdown with Deontay Wilder.

That fight is part of the Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua undercard at Principality Stadium in Cardiff.

Opetaia, 31, has already beaten Brandon Glanton and Norair Mikaeljan this year.

Now he faces one of boxing's most dangerous punchers.

Wilder enters the contest after a split-decision victory over Derek Chisora.

Opetaia's promoter Dana White acknowledged the risk.

"It's a very dangerous fight for him considering where he sits in his division right now," White told Sky Sports.

Billam-Smith hopes that if Opetaia returns to cruiserweight after the Wilder fight, he could be the opponent.

"That definitely seems more doable now," Billam-Smith said.

"I'm happy about that, because I think Benavidez would beat him and I always wanted to be the first man to beat Opetaia."

Billam-Smith fights Cheavon Clarke on Saturday, live on Sky Sports.

Win that, and he could be in line for Opetaia.

Win that, and he would be right at the summit of the cruiserweight division.

Could an Usyk fight happen further down the line?

"Not next, maybe if he beats Benavidez, I beat Opetaia, that's a nice little southpaw..." Billam-Smith said.

Usyk has not fought since beating Rico Verhoeven in May.

That fight was underwhelming, and Usyk relinquished his unified heavyweight title soon after.

He revealed he would have one farewell fight before retiring.

Earlier this year, it was understood that Deontay Wilder would be that opponent.

But talks with the American collapsed.

Now Usyk is looking at Benavidez instead.

Billam-Smith expects Usyk to go straight into a Benavidez fight, without an interim bout.

"I think the level he's been and the level he's at in terms of marketable fights, I think he'd go straight into a Benavidez fight, especially at his age now," he said.

"I think taking interim fight, especially dangerous ones, against me, he doesn't need to be doing."