Usyk dismisses Benavidez talk ahead of Saturday bout

Oleksandr Usyk has shut down speculation about a potential David Benavidez matchup, insisting his sole focus is this weekend's fight. The former unified heavyweight champion says questions about future opponents will have to wait.

“Now, it's only speaking about this. For me, first it's my fight on Saturday. You know? My focus is Rico now.”

— Oleksandr Usyk, via Ring Magazine

What Oleksandr Usyk said

Usyk faces an opponent named Rico on Saturday, though talk of a Benavidez clash has followed him into fight week. The Ukrainian has moved between cruiserweight and heavyweight during his professional career, while Benavidez campaigns at middleweight/" class="internal-link text-bone underline decoration-ash/30 hover:decoration-gold underline-offset-2">super middleweight and light heavyweight. Any meeting between the pair would require significant weight negotiations.

What it moves

Usyk's camp will likely revisit the Benavidez question after Saturday's result. Speaking to Ring Magazine, the former champion made clear he will not entertain hypothetical matchups until his current assignment is complete. The winner of Saturday's bout could shape the timeline for any cross-division negotiations.

Source: ringmagazine.com. Full Oleksandr Usyk fight history and recent news at boxingnews.com.