Hearn hasn’t bothered dressing it up with deep technical breakdowns, however the logic isn’t arduous to learn in the event you’ve watched sufficient of those fights play out the flawed manner.
Why Hearn Likes Zurdo for Benavidez
Ramirez fights in straight traces. He comes ahead, throws quantity, commits. That type of struggle feeds Benavidez. David likes rhythm. He likes realizing the place the opposite man might be after the trade. Sluggers give him that. He can set traps, let his palms go, and settle for a little bit of return hearth as a result of he trusts his output to overwhelm.
That’s why Hearn sees Zurdo as manageable, even risky-manageable. Two Mexicans. Comparable mentality. Loads of punches. A struggle that stays trustworthy.
However trustworthy fights nonetheless lower each methods. Ramirez can punch. He’s not some tender contact, and if Benavidez will get careless, he’ll pay for it. We’ve already seen Benavidez staggered and dropped when his quantity runs forward of his defence. David Morrell uncovered that hole, twice, in a single evening.
Why Opetaia Is a Completely different Downside
Opetaia fights extra like Dmitry Bivol than a typical cruiserweight brawler. Lengthy lead hand. In-and-out motion. Pictures thrown with intent, then gone. And crucially, actual energy carried by way of disciplined positioning. That’s the nightmare for a high-output fighter who’s used to strolling opponents down.
Benavidez will get hit. Rather a lot. It’s a part of the deal. Towards Opetaia, these aren’t glancing pictures. They’re heavy punches touchdown when you’re stepping in. Over time, that modifications all the pieces.
That’s why Hearn shuts that door fairly rapidly.
“I don’t suppose he beats Jai Opetaia,” Hearn mentioned, whereas nonetheless retaining the door open for Zurdo. Not precisely a ringing endorsement, however an trustworthy one.
The Beterbiev Complication
Hearn additionally floated Artur Beterbiev as the most effective struggle for Benavidez, which sounds nice till you have a look at the calendar. Beterbiev is 40 now. If the Bivol trilogy drags into 2027, that window may already be gone. Heavy-handed fighters don’t age kindly, and timing issues greater than hype ever does.
At 175, Benavidez is sensible. At cruiserweight, issues get much less forgiving very quick.
Zurdo is harmful. Opetaia is punishing. That’s the distinction Hearn is actually speaking about, even when he doesn’t spell it out.
One struggle lets Benavidez impose himself. The opposite asks whether or not he can survive being hit clear and infrequently by a person who received’t stand nonetheless.
That’s a query promoters don’t like answering except they completely must.
