Boxing legend Roy Jones Jr. has a clear message for David Benavidez: don't let a career-defining opportunity slip away. After the 29-year-old "Mexican Monster" made a spectacular debut at cruiserweight—stopping WBA and WBO champion Gilberto Ramirez in the sixth round to improve his record to 32-0—Jones believes the time is now for an even bolder move.

That victory made Benavidez a three-division world champion, and his stock has never been higher. But Jones, a former four-division titlist himself, argues that the Phoenix native should be thinking even bigger. In the latest episode of his Hall of Game podcast alongside fellow boxing great Andre Ward, Jones laid out why a jump to heavyweight to face unified champion Oleksandr Usyk should be the priority.

"It would be one of the biggest fights of this decade," Jones said of a potential Benavidez-Usyk showdown. He warned that getting distracted by other matchups—specifically a potential fight with cruiserweight contender Jai Opetaia—would be a mistake. "It would not be smart for David Benavidez to give Jai Opetaia a shot at his name right now because he's hot," Jones explained. "You can always come back down and fight Opetaia if you want to. If you lost to Usyk, the Opetaia fight's still there. If you lost to Opetaia, the Usyk fight's gone. So be smart about this thing."

The logic is simple: Benavidez is no longer the hunter—he's the big-money star that others are chasing. After years of chasing a elusive clash with Canelo Alvarez, this is his chance to cash in on the biggest possible stage. While speculation points to a potential Benavidez vs. Usyk clash in 2026, boxing fans know that making fights of this magnitude is never easy. But with both fighters known for taking on tough challenges, this dream matchup has a real shot at becoming a reality.