After pummeling Gilberto Ramirez last weekend to become WBA and WBO cruiserweight champion at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, he immediately called out Dmitry Bivol.

Bivol, the Ring, IBF, WBA, and WBO light heavyweight champion, has business to attend to first. He's returning to the ring against IBF mandatory Michael Eifert on May 30 in Russia following back surgery in August.

However, Benavidez, the WBC light heavyweight champion, told Sean Zittel on The Porter Way Podcast that discussions have already started behind the scenes.

“We’re already in talks with that," he said. "But first things first. We got to see how he comes out, like if he comes out with any injuries. I don’t think he’s going to have any problems in that type of way. But that fight is definitely happening.”

Bivol (24-1, 12 KOs) was ordered by the WBC to fight Benavidez (32-0, 26 KOs) early last year. However, he opted to vacate the title and pursue a third fight with Artur Beterbiev after splitting two fights with his countryman.

A third fight with Beterbiev might still be on the table. However, Benavidez (32-0, 26 KOs) believes a showdown between with Bivol is more compelling. Not only that, he presented an idea he believes would elevate the matchup to even greater heights.

"Maybe we can do a catchweight at 190,” Benavidez said. “We get the cruiserweight belts involved, we get the light heavyweight belts involved, and winner takes all."

If Bivol and the sanctioning bodies don't embrace that concept?

That would be fine with Benavidez, who has stated he's willing to move all the way back down to 175 after only one fight at cruiserweight. He weighed in at 196¾ for his fight against Ramirez.

Benavidez has said he'd like to headline a card on Mexican Independence Day weekend in mid-September. However, he believes a fight with Bivol would happen later.

“I can still get to 175,” Benavidez said. “The thing is, if I do end up fighting him, it’s probably not going to be until the end of the year. It won’t be in September. If I get to work now, I can get down to that weight, and that’s exactly what I plan on doing."

Benavidez is ranked No. 5 in The Ring's pound-for-pound rankings, one spot ahead of Bivol.