Dream fight, Jai Opetaia vs. David Benavidez, who would take the win if they fought now?

Opetaia.

And it’s not even close.

 

Jai wins, far too big, it'd be a shootout while it lasted though.

 

Opetaia would stop him he is not only bigger and stronger but he is also more skilled than Benavidez. It is over by the 6th round.

 

I reckon there's a good chance that someone like David Nyika would beat Benavidez. These cruiserweights are big lads that hit hard.

 

Yep and Crawford not only has the ability but also the dimensions to handle an aging bigger man. Crawford still didn't have an ounce of fat on him at 168. I don't even think that Zurdo is a top 5 cruiserweight his run at cruiser has been strategic he's a big lad but he is soft around the middle.

 

Yes. Yes it is.

 

Not sure that Benavidez getting sent to the I.C.U. would be anywhere within the realm of "best thing that could happen" to him.

He beat Yarde, a guy who's biggest claims to fame are that his trainer is a moron, that he failed twice before this and won two against Arthur after losing to him five years ago.

Benavidez is calling out Zurdo for a reason and I say this as a fan.

 

Cracked me up this.

 

I think the only cruiserweight who beats Benavidez is Jai, to be fair, and that is purely because of his size and because he is a natural cruiser. Nyika was a solid amateur, but he hasn't beaten anyone in the pros; there's no evidence that he hits harder than Yarde; and other than his size, David is arguably multiple levels above him. He'd probably be mauled in a similar brutal fashion as he was in the fight with Jai.

 

Because he has 2 belts while Jai has one. Because Zurdo is a far more lucrative fight than Jai who is a nobody. So there were 2 reasons actually.

Jai is a beast but everyone is way too high on him. He has never fought anyone like Benavidez, and don't make me laugh by suggesting 37 year old Briedis was better than Benavidez. I rewatched that fight and I was not impressed at all with him. He is just a technical brawler, without the range and speed of David and was past his prime, and he still gave Jai hell.

 

You really have no shame do you? That might be the worst take I have heard in years, and that's saying something.

 

Calm down lad. I have said Benavidez is a good fighter. There's a lot of weight between light heavy and cruiser it is a big jump not to mention what these cruiser lads rehydrate to. I think cruiser is a bridge too far he already looks fat at light heavy. I have seen Nyika in person and he is a beast of a man.