Ryan Garcia has seized control of prime boxing calendar real estate as he headlines Saturday’s Mexican Independence weekend card in Las Vegas versus England’s Conor Benn.

And WBC welterweight champion Garcia is proposing something greater when he returns to fight on a Cinco de Mayo 2027 show: Co-starring with undefeated two-division champion David Benavidez.

Ironically, both Garcia, 25-2 (20 KOs), and Benavidez, 32-0 (26 KOs), will become promotional free agents following their next fight.

With the new Zuffa Boxing promotion taking the lead on this card while now directing Benn’s career, Zuffa has also made a string of moves to make itself especially appetizing to Phoenix’s Benavidez.

In addition to bringing aboard unbeaten former IBF cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia, 30-0 (23 KOs), Zuffa Boxing has signed highly ranked cruiserweights Chris Billam Smith and Ryan Rozicki while staging a Saturday night co-main event pitting Opetaia versus WBC champion Noel Mikaelian.

Given the dominance of three-division champion Benavidez, logic prevails that strongly funded Zuffa – which has its fights streamed by Paramount+ – would highly prioritize the 29-year-old Mexican-American Benavidez.

Currently wearing the WBC light-heavyweight belt and the WBO and WBA cruiserweight straps following his Cinco de Mayo stoppage of Mexico’s Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez, Benavidez is expected back in the ring December 12 in Arizona versus WBC interim champion Michal Cieslak.

The expectation is that the WBC will strip Mikaelian of his belt when the first bell rings against Opetaia because the WBC previously ordered the Don King-promoted Mikaelian to defend his belt against Benavidez.

Trending toward becoming a heavyweight, Benavidez is in the final bout of his agreement with longtime promoter Sampson Lewkowicz and connected company Premier Boxing Champions.

While Benavidez has previously been unmoved by the notion of fighting for the Zuffa belt that Opetaia wears, his trainer-father, Jose Benavidez Snr, wants to see the pair fight and there may be a scenario that allows for the pair to fight for an undisputed 200lbs title in May.

“Me and Benavidez actually talked about a plan to [stage a] co-[show], with him versus someone special, too,” Garcia told reporters last week. “That would be amazing.” 

A -350 betting favorite against the gaunt-looking Benn, who has spoken of moving up 21 pounds to super-middleweight in his next bout, Garcia is angling for a Cinco de Mayo versus new WBA welterweight champion Teofimo Lopez, a three-division champion.

“That shit fire,” Garcia said as he closes his longtime union with Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions.

Benavidez and Garcia this year replaced injured former holiday weekend placeholder Canelo Alvarez of Mexico, who opted to postpone his return to Halloween versus new WBC super-middleweight champion Christian Mbilli.

Alvarez has fought on at least one of the holiday cards dating to 2013.

Garcia told BoxingScene Alvarez’s Mbilli bout is lacking the type of energy and competitiveness he intends to bring to the special dates. Garcia said he anticipates former stablemate Alvarez ending his career in “a couple fights.”

“There’s always a passing of the guard. I’ll make sure the events are special,” said Garcia, whose anticipated rematch with Devin Haney also looms. 

“I’m excited for this new journey. Maybe I sign with somebody, maybe I don’t,” Garcia said.