Turki Alalshikh has identified seven major fights he wants to make, with Jai Opetaia against David Benavidez among the most revealing names on his list.
“Big-time fights @Turki_alalshikh tells me are on his wishlist to make: Tyson Fury-Anthony Joshua, Jai Opetaia-David Benavidez, Shakur Stevenson-Devin Haney, Naoya Inoue-Bam Rodriguez, Terence Crawford-Canelo Alvarez rematch, Filip Hrgovic-Rico Verhoeven, Crawford-Ryan Garcia,” said Mike Coppinger on X.
Opetaia-Benavidez would settle questions that neither boxer can answer in his current lane. Benavidez has struggled to turn his success into major public interest, while Opetaia lacks a cruiserweight rival capable of giving him a genuine super fight.
Alalshikh’s interest also removes one excuse for Benavidez. The money and platform would be available if he agreed to meet Opetaia. Remaining at light heavyweight for less ambitious fights would look especially cautious after his years of pursuing Canelo Alvarez.
Shakur Stevenson against Devin Haney carries history, skill, and personal friction, although it risks becoming a low-output tactical contest. Their names would sell the event, but the action might not satisfy viewers expecting a shootout.
Naoya Inoue-Bam Rodriguez could be the best technical fight on the list. The concern is size. Rodriguez would be moving into the domain of a destructive natural super bantamweight, and Inoue would enter with clear physical advantages.
Crawford-Canelo II feels harder to justify competitively after Crawford defeated Alvarez. A rematch would require either a disputed first result or a dramatically different weight arrangement to offer anything new.
Crawford against Ryan Garcia is easier to understand commercially. Ryan brings the audience, while Crawford supplies the elite reputation. The danger is that it resembles a lucrative name fight more than a balanced contest.
Fury-Joshua remains the largest attraction listed, despite both heavyweights being far removed from their best years. Hrgovic-Verhoeven is the wild card, matching an established boxer against a decorated kickboxer crossing into a different sport.
Not every fight will happen, but Alalshikh’s choices reveal the strategy: recognizable names, weight division jumps, and pairings capable of reaching beyond boxing’s regular audience.
Click here to subscribe to our FREE newsletter
Related Boxing News:
Last Updated on 2026/09/13 at 3:27 AM
Read the full article here
