Usyk is set to return to the ring on May 23 against Rico Verhoeven. Reports also indicate that Alalshikh wants to match the Ukrainian star with Agit Kabayel in December 2026.
“I woke up and saw it everywhere. They’re making it a huge story,” Benavidez’s trainer and father, Jose Benavidez Sr., told BoxingScene. “Anything is possible. I’m going to talk to David, and we’ll discuss it.”
“Usyk is really good, but considering his age and the fact that he’s been fighting older opponents, it’s a fight we could make happen,” Benavidez Sr. added. “David thought something like that was still far off, but now that they’re talking about it, it’s just unbelievable.”
No location or projected date has been announced, but Benavidez Sr. said his son, who fights under the Premier Boxing Champions banner, had a positive experience competing on a Turki Alalshikh-backed card when he defeated Anthony Yarde in Riyadh last November.
“We were thinking about moving up to heavyweight in maybe five years, but now I think it could happen sooner,” Benavidez Sr. said. “Usyk is one of our favorite fighters, so it would be a huge honor for us. I knew winning on Saturday would open a lot of new doors for us. Now it’s about choosing which one to walk through.”