Gilberto Ramirez vs. David Benavidez | PBC PPV - 2 May 2026

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Round-by-Round starts here








DAVID BENAVIDEZ ANNOUNCES FIGHT AGAINST GILBERTO RAMIREZ ON MAY 2, LAS VEGAS LIKELY

A bout between David Benavidez and Gilberto Ramirez has been talked about over the last year, and now it appears to be a reality.

Shortly after the WBC light heavyweight champion Benavidez defended his title and stopped Anthony Yarde in seven rounds while headlining “The Ring IV: Night of the Champions” card in Saudi Arabia on Saturday, “The Mexican Monster” announced his next forthcoming matchup against “Zurdo.”

Benavidez (31-0, 25 KOs) said he is ready to step up to a new weight class and is set to square off against the WBA and WBO cruiserweight champion Ramirez (48-1, 30 KOs) on May 2. Benavidez alluded that the location of the fight would be in Las Vegas.

At the moment, it’s not yet known if Ramirez is set to move forward with his planned tune-up tilt on January 16. Ramirez has been planning to shake off the cobwebs following shoulder surgery this summer, shortly after scoring a unanimous decision win against Yuniel Dorticos in June. Ramirez, from Mexico, is currently in camp training in Los Angeles.

The Mexican-American Benavidez appeared to exit his bout against Yarde (27-4, 24 KOs) mostly unscathed to make it in time for his Cinco De Mayo Weekend matchup.

“It’s definitely what I expected,” Benavidez said in the ring after stopping Yarde while outlanding him 159 to 58 in a one-sided fight.

“When I signed to fight Anthony Yarde, I said, ‘Oh man, this is gonna be a war.’ And this is what I dreamt about, you know, both of us going to war. I think he cut me in round six and I said, ‘You want a shootout? Let’s go for it, then.’ And you see what I did. He stepped into Monstruo’s world and he got KOd.”

A bout between Benavidez and Ramirez features a highly marketable matchup between fighters with Mexican heritage who are cordial and friendly with one another.

“Of course the [Benavidez] fight, people want to see,” Ramirez told The Ring earlier this year as the fight increasingly became a possibility.

“He's a great champion and a pound-for-pound fighter. Why not if he wants it too. We're friends, and I know his family, but if the money is right, we can make the fight happen. We've had amazing sparring sessions together that were pay per view worthy on its own. We can have a great fight against each other. It would be a fight of the year, like Marco Antonio Barrera vs. Juan Manuel Marquez – two Mexicans just throwing down with a lot of exciting punches.

“If he wants to move up to cruiserweight, we can make the fight happen. For me, I don't have a problem fighting a Mexican. I can fight anyone. I'm a fighter. That's what I do – fight.”

In a separate interview with The Ring this year, Jose Benavidez Sr., the father and trainer of David, said his son was ready for a fight against Ramirez.

“We can move up to cruiserweight to face Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez,” Benavidez Sr. told The Ring. “It would be an honor to face Zurdo. He's a great friend and fighter. That's what friends are for. Why not fight each other? We'll get to make money together. If it was up to me, I would love to face Bivol, then fight Beterbiev and then fight Zurdo Ramirez. That would be my dream and something we would like … At this point, David feels really good. He has the height for it. He feels good at 168, 175, and he can go to cruiserweight as well. He's right in the middle, and it's all about adjusting up or down.”

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David Benavidez eyes Gilberto Ramirez for May 2 at T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas

David Benavidez wasn’t at all interested in taking a victory lap.

The unbeaten two-division titlist cut right to the chase when asked about plans following his seventh-round knockout of Anthony Yarde on Saturday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. In an environment where many fighters before him would praise and await further instruction from Turki Alalshikh and Riyadh Season, Benavidez dropped news of his next fight – one that will take place outside that circuit.

Benavidez will pursue a third divisional crown in a bold challenge against unified WBA and WBO cruiserweight titlist Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez.

“I got some news for you guys,” Benavidez said shortly after his one-sided drubbing of Yarde, 27-4 (24 KOs). “May 2, me versus Zurdo Ramirez. I’m going up to cruiserweight to challenge for a title. So I’m excited for that.”

BS has learned that a hold was already placed on the date for T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

None of the parties involved were in a position to discuss the matter because a couple of loose ends remain. However, Golden Boy Promotions – Ramirez’s promoter – validated the matchup through social media channels shortly after Benavidez’s news drop.

“Save the date,” Golden Boy said through its company account, the post accompanied by a poster of Ramirez and Benavidez. “Golden Boy just made your Cinco de Mayo weekend plans.”

Two sources familiar with the situation have confirmed that Mexico’s Ramirez, 48-1 (30 KOs), will first return to the ring to face Robin Sirwan Safar. 19-0 (13 KOs) on the recently announced January 16 Alexis Rocha-Raul Curiel II undercard. The bout will be Ramirez’s first since recovering from shoulder surgery following his June 28 points win over Yuniel Dorticos in Anaheim, California.

With a win, already-signed agreements will then be executed to move forward with the event, which BS has learned will be a joint promotion between Golden Boy, Sampson Boxing and Premier Boxing Champions (PBC).

Benavidez is promoted by Sampson Lewkowicz, founder and head of Sampson Boxing, and has fought on PBC shows since its first-year launch in 2015.

Benavidez, 31-0 (25 KOs), picked up his first knockout win at light heavyweight with Saturday’s drubbing of Yarde, who is now 0-3 with three knockout defeats in major title fights. The stoppage was the first for Benavidez since a November 2023 sixth-round knockout of Demetrius Andrade in his final fight at super middleweight.

The decision to campaign at light heavyweight ended years of frustration for Benavidez, a former two-time 168lbs titlist who was long denied a showdown with then-undisputed champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, 63-3-2 (39 KOs). Three wins have followed at 175lbs for Benavidez, including unanimous decision victories over Oleksandr Gvozdyk and David Morrell Jnr to win secondary versions of both the WBC and WBA titles at the weight.

Benavidez was upgraded to full WBC titleholder at 175lbs after Dmitry Bivol vacated the belt in lieu of an ordered title consolidation bout. Bivol was a longtime WBA titlist who regained his belt along with becoming undisputed champion after a revenge-fueled majority decision victory over Artur Beterbiev in their February 22 rematch in Riyadh.

Alalshikh invited Benavidez to attend the event, with initially teased plans for the Phoenix native to fight the winner. Benavidez traveled abroad but did not stay the entire time or attend the fight – nor did such a fight ever materialize.

In fact, Alalshikh went out of his way to declare that he had no interest in bidding on Bivol-Benavidez once the matter headed to a purse bid hearing. It proved moot, as Bivol instead chose to break up his fully unified title reign rather than move forward with the fight. He is still the lineal champ and unified WBA, IBF and WBO titlist. However, he also hasn’t fought since the Beterbiev rematch, and there is no guarantee he will face Benavidez in 2026 – or ever.

Naturally, Benavidez was aware of this possibility and long ago planned ahead for a potential move up the scale.

Benavidez spoke passionately about one day challenging Ramirez during the buildup to his eventual win over a then-unbeaten Morrell on February 1 in Las Vegas.

Ramirez won each of his two cruiserweight titles in 2024. He dethroned unbeaten WBA titlist Arsen Goulamirian via unanimous decision last March 30 in Inglewood, California. His year ended in Riyadh, where he decisively outpointed Chris Billam-Smith to collect the WBO title.

Ramirez’s abovementioned win over Dorticos satisfied his WBA mandatory. The WBO has taken steps to proceed with an interim title fight between German contenders Roman Fress and Tahir Kahrovic, tentatively eyed for January 10 in Magdeburg, Germany.

Although the winner of that fight would obviously be in line to challenge for the full belt, it is likely that a title consolidation order would come sometime after Ramirez-Benavidez.

That would leave Ramirez winning on January 16 and escaping unscathed as the only remaining hurdle to proceed with the contest.

Given Benavidez’s current title status, his reign and announced plans for his next fight are likely to be addressed during the annual WBC convention currently underway in Bangkok, Thailand.

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Jai Opetaia questions Gilberto Ramirez-David Benavidez

Don’t count Jai Opetaia among those excited for the announcement of Gilberto Ramirez-David Benavidez.

The IBF cruiserweight champion from Australia released a statement Sunday, criticizing the WBO/WBA titleholder Ramirez for choosing to face the WBC light heavyweight beltholder Benavidez instead of himself. The announcement was made last night following Benavidez’s seventh round stoppage of Anthony Yarde in Saudi Arabia. The Ramirez vs. Benavidez fight is being targeted for May 2 - the weekend before Cinco de Mayo - with the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas as a potential venue.

“I’ve been waiting for the unification fights for years,” Opetaia, 28-0 (24 KOs), said. “I’m sick of the excuses. None of these other champions are in a hurry to face me — and we all know why.”

Mick Francis, whose Tasman Fighters company co-promotes Opetaia with Matchroom Boxing, feels that all roads should go through his fighter at 200lbs. He calls the Ramirez-Benavidez fight the contest to see who’s the second best cruiserweight in the world.

“We’re witnessing a great champion being avoided in broad daylight. These so-called champions won’t even say his name. Jai is the boogeyman of the cruiserweight division,” said Francis.

“[Mateusz] Masternak ducked him. [Richard] Riakporhe ducked him. [Chris] Billam-Smith ducked him. And Zurdo Ramirez has ducked him in the biggest, most embarrassing way of all.”

The 30-year-old Opetaia is coming off a fifth round knockout of Claudio Squeo in June.

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David Benavidez to fight Zurdo Ramirez in May 2026

David Benavidez is heading up to cruiserweight on Cinco de Mayo weekend.

David Benavidez says he will move up to cruiserweight next May to challenge Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez for the WBO cruiserweight title.

Benavidez announced the plan after his win over Anthony Yarde in Riyadh, and it’s a bit of a curveball, with Benavidez retaining his WBC light heavyweight title, but it may simply be the best offer he had on the table.

Benavidez (31-0, 25 KO) will be looking to win a world title in a third weight class after claiming belts at super middleweight and light heavyweight.

“May 2nd, me vs Zurdo Ramirez, I’m going up to cruiserweight to challenge for his title,” Benavidez said after his fight tonight.

Benavidez said the fight could happen in Las Vegas.

Zurdo (48-1, 30 KO) is a former super middleweight titlist himself, and a light heavywieght title challenger. His last two bouts have been wins over Chris Billam-Smith, where he won his WBO title, and a defense over Yuniel Dorticos on June 28 in Anaheim.

The move also is a preemptive strike against any possible plan for Canelo Alvarez to return. Canelo has dominated the coveted Cinco de Mayo weekend for years now.

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Gilberto Ramirez confirms David Benavidez fight and dismisses Jai Opetaia

If there were any remaining doubts about the pairing, unified cruiserweight champion Gilberto Ramirez confirmed on Tuesday that he will indeed face David Benavidez in an all-Mexico showdown on May 2 in Las Vegas.

Ramirez, 48-1 (30 KOs), will first take on Sweden’s Robin Sirwan Safar, 19-0 (13 KOs), on January 16 in Palm Desert, California. But assuming “Zurdo” makes it through the Safar fight without incident, the plan, as first reported by Boxing Scene, is for Benavidez to move up from the light heavyweight division to challenge for Ramirez’s two 200lbs belts at T-Mobile Arena on Cinco de Mayo weekend.

“I’m excited about this fight, and this is something I’ve targeted for years,” Ramirez said in a press release. “It will be your classic Mexican-versus-Mexican-American war. I’m familiar with David and his team and have shared the gym and ring with them in the past. They’re great people, but business is business, and come May, I will have my arm raised.”

Benavidez, 31-0 (25 KOs), is a Phoenix-born fighter of Mexican descent and a two-division champion. A former super middleweight titleholder, he made the first defense of his full light heavyweight title in a seventh-round stoppage of Anthony Yarde on Saturday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He won the interim belt with a 12-round unanimous decision over Oleksandr Gvozdyk in June 2024, then defended it in a convincing points win over David Morrell Jnr this past February. Benavidez, 28, was elevated to full titleholder in April when Dmitry Bivol vacated to pursue a trilogy fight with Artur Beterbiev.

Ramirez, a 34-year-old from Mazatlan, Mexico, most recently won a 12-round unanimous decision over Yuniel Dorticos, 27-2 (25 KOs) in June, and he had been weighing unification options while recovering from July shoulder surgery. Among them, a matchup to unify with Australia’s Jai Opetaia, 29-0 (32 KOs) – also the lineal cruiserweight champ – had been the most attractive before Benavidez stepped forward. Opetaia has since accused Ramirez of ducking him.

“I’m after the biggest fights possible and I want to make sure I’m fighting the best,” Ramirez said in response. “To be honest, I didn’t even know who Opetaia was until recently. Someone told me some things he said, and I think he might have rocks for brains. This guy hasn’t impressed me at all; he’s fought a bunch of cannon fodders to get to where he is. All these outbursts and spreading lies – saying he called my phone – reminds me of all my ex-girlfriends.”

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David Benavidez locks in on Zurdo - can't land fights with Bivol, Beterbiev, Canelo

David Benavidez talks a big game, and he sure backs it up by blasting everyone who stands in front of him.

The WBC light heavyweight champion successfully defended his title Saturday by stopping Anthony Yarde in seven rounds while headlining “The Ring IV: Night of the Champions” card in Saudi Arabia.

Immediately afterward, Benavidez (31-0, 25 KOs) announced that he’s moving up to cruiserweight to challenge WBA and WBO champion Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez.

Benavidez, The Ring’s No. 9-ranked pound-for-pound fighter, plans to march to the beat of his own drum moving forward while carving a long-lasting legacy.

“I told everybody that I was going to make a statement, and I think I did that. Yarde came for war, but this is my world and nobody can mess with me,” Benavidez said during his post fight press conference.

“I wanted to fight Dmitry Bivol for this fight. That's the fight that I have been wanting to get, to become a unified world champion. I don't know what's going on over there. I don't want to wait for anyone anymore. I don't want to waste any more time.”

Benavidez, 28, has youth, time, and the prime of his career on his side. The guys he’s chasing – Artur Beterbiev, soon to be 41, Bivol, soon to be 35, Canelo Alvarez, 35, and Ramirez, 34, don't.

The only reason Benavidez has the 175-pound WBC belt is because Bivol, The Ring and unified champion, chose not to fight him after earning undisputed honors in pursuit of a trilogy bout with Beterbiev that never came to be. As a result, Benavidez was elevated from interim to full champion status by the sanctioning body. Bivol, meanwhile, has since been sidelined with back surgery and fighting against Beterbiev seems nowhere in sight.

“They know that I am the hardest fighter on the table,” said Benavidez. “It's apparent that every good fighter that I do go up against, I outclass them. Canelo, Bivol, Beterbiev – they all know that an extremely hard fight. They would have shut me up by now if they knew I was an easy fight. I'm 100 percent confident in myself, in my skills, and my chin.

“I want to achieve greatness, and I had an opportunity to go up to challenge Ramirez for two titles at cruiserweight, so let's get it. If I am getting the opportunity, why not take it? I didn't get the opportunity at 168, and now I am not getting it at 175. So I am going to make my own lane and achieve greatness, one way or the other.

Benavidez said that if he gets past Ramirez, he’ll campaign again as a light heavyweight if the bouts against Alvarez, Bivol, and Beterbiev become available. If not, he’ll likely look to face The Ring and IBF cruiserweight champion, Jai Opetaia.

“I want to be a double champ at both weight classes,” said Benavidez. “I will take a fight at 175 with those guys if it's available. I'm here to prove myself as a fighter. This is what I am here for, to be one of the greats.”

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Sources: David Benavidez to fight Gilberto Ramirez on May 2

David Benavidez will attempt to become a three-division world champion when he moves up to challenge WBA and WBO cruiserweight champion Gilberto "Zurdo" Ramirez on May 2 in Las Vegas, sources told ESPN on Monday.

The fight will likely take place at T-Mobile Arena, sources said.

Benavidez (31-0, 25 KOs), who is No. 7 in ESPN's pound-for-pound rankings, retained his WBC light heavyweight title in November with a seventh-round stoppage of Anthony Yarde. Shortly after the win, Benavidez, who has won world titles at super middleweight and light heavyweight, announced his desire to challenge Ramirez.

Ramirez (48-1, 30 KOs) successfully defended his titles in June with a unanimous decision over former world champion Yuniel Dorticos. The only loss on the professional record of "Zurdo" came via unanimous decision to Dmitry Bivol when he challenged for the WBA light heavyweight title in 2022, and he has won four straight fights since.

Benavidez, 29, has openly stated he wanted to take over fighting on both Cinco De Mayo weekend and Mexican Independence Day, two major fight weekend dates that were often held by Canelo Alvarez. With Canelo out of action due to surgery following his loss to Terence Crawford, Cinco De Mayo weekend was open for Benavidez to compete against Ramirez, a fellow Mexican.

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Benavidez Plans Return To 175 To Pursue Bivol, Beterbiev

After stopping Anthony Yarde in defense of his WBC 175-pound title in November, Benavidez revealed that he would be moving up in weight for his next fight. The 29-year-old declared that he will challenge WBO and WBA cruiserweight titleholder Gilberto Ramirez, although it hasn’t been officially announced.

However, according to Benavidez, his cruiserweight trip will be a short one.

“I’m a fight Zurdo Ramirez,” Benavidez said on the Danza Project. “Then we’re gonna come down, and we’re gonna make that fight with [Dmitry] Bivol. Then after that we’re gonna fight [Artur] Beterbiev.” Taking on those Russian monsters has been Benavidez’s No. 1 goal since entering the light heavyweight division in 2024.

Bivol was ordered by the WBC to face Benavidez after his victory over Beterbiev (21-1, 20 KOs) in their rematch to become undisputed champion. However, Bivol (24-1, 12 KOs) decided to drop that belt and pursue a trilogy against Beterbiev instead. Then that fight didn't happen, at least in part because Bivol had back surgery in August.

Benavidez (31-0, 25 KOs) believes the Russians will have no choice but to fight him eventually.

“Sooner or later," he said, "they’re gonna have to see me."

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ANNOUNCED: David Benavidez will challenge Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez for his WBA & WBO cruiserweight world titles on May 2nd at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

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Tickets for Benavidez vs Ramirez can be purchased through AXS.com, according to a Premier Boxing Champions announcement on Friday. Pre-sale starts on Tuesday, February 24, from 10 a.m. PT until 10 p.m. PT with the codes PBC or GBP. Public on-sale begins on Wednesday, February 25, at 10 a.m. PT.

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No hype, no problem: David Benavidez-Gilberto Ramirez stands on its own

David Benavidez may not have secured the blockbuster Cinco de Mayo weekend fight with the specific Mexican opponent he had long sought to draw into the ring.

But he just might have landed the better one.

Benavidez was joined at the Park MGM in Las Vegas on Saturday by Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez and their respective teams in an introductory press conference to announce his challenge of Ramirez’s unified cruiserweight championship scheduled for May 2 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

In a wild turn, the event was respectful, straightforward and wholly unexceptional – a welcome change from the hype jobs ahead of many other recent marquee fights. The difference: The fight itself should be TNT.

“I feel like I’m on the cusp of being the face of boxing,” Benavidez said. “And if Zurdo wins, his stock goes up. There’s greatness on the other side of that tunnel for both of us. So we’re gonna come extremely prepared.”

Although the fight, predictably, is being billed as an all-Mexico war, that’s neither quite accurate – Benavidez is of Mexican descent but was born in Arizona – nor necessary. These are certified world-class fighters who have already shared the ring as sparring partners whose come-forward styles and no-B.S. personas should leave behind nothing but pure, uncut boxing delirium.

“This is something I’ve been working toward for a long time,” Benavidez said. “We’ve had so many great sparring sessions, and I told Zurdo then, we’ll have to do this on pay-per-view one day. Now we’re going for two titles on May 2 and I’m very grateful.”

Fight fans, too, should give thanks. The unbeaten Benavidez, 31-0 (25 KOs), a current light heavyweight titleholder and former super middleweight belt holder, is a 29-year-old who throws cinder blocks and reliably delivers action fights. For years, he held out at 168lbs in hopes to lure Saul “Canelo” Alvarez into a megafight that likely would have landed on Cinco de Mayo or Mexican Independence Day weekend – Alvarez’s standing dates. Instead, Benavidez moved on and made a name for himself, and now will climb another division to take on the 35-year-old Ramirez, 48-1 (30 KOs), who long toiled in virtual anonymity but simply kept putting away everyone put in front of him. To date, Ramirez’s only career loss came in 2022, against current light heavyweight kingpin Dmitry Bivol.

Although Ramirez has a lot of miles on the odometer, he has won all four fights since the Bivol defeat – including most recently unanimous decisions over Chris Billam-Smith and Yuniel Dorticos to, respectively, win and defend the WBO belt he still holds.

“I knew this would happen eventually,” said Ramirez, from Mazatlan, Sinaloa, Mexico. “This is a dream come true. Right now is the right moment at 200 pounds. We’re going to feel comfortable and be at our best.”

Benavidez gave Ramirez work ahead of his 2016 whitewashing of super middleweight titleholder Arthur Abraham, calling them “great sessions” and saying he knew then that Ramirez was someone who would be around a long time. A decade later, they will pick up where they left off with Ramirez’s cruiserweight belts on the line.

“He’s ‘The Monster.’ He’s different,” Ramirez said of Benavidez. “He used to beat up a lot of sparring partners. Now we’re here, we’re two warriors and we’re making history.”

Only this time they will meet on what has become a holiday on the boxing schedule, in front of an audience at Las Vegas’ premier fight venue and on a PBC pay-per-view stream.

“For the whole history of Cinco de Mayo fights, it’s been tremendous fighters like Oscar [De La Hoya] and [Julio Cesar] Chavez,” Benavidez said. “Not just great fights, but wars. Because they never took easy fights. That’s what we’re doing. We’re two Mexican warriors going for the title.”

Strip away all the extras, though, and this fight should be a gift to purists. Never mind dates or broadcasters, fighter origins or manufactured beefs. If all goes to plan, Benavidez-Ramirez is a clash that can be held up as boxing’s modern standard.

“Neither team is too big into talking, and there won’t be a need for it,” said Julian Chua, Ramirez’s trainer. “I’ve seen them sparring up close, and those rounds were all pay-per-view worthy. Now you layer on that it’s a real fight, the competitive nature that brought them both to where they are today, at its peak form, it will be there.

“This is gonna be a shootout and a great war. I don’t feel any pressure, because the way these guys are, it’s gonna be a great fight.”

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Benavidez Plans To Take Over Mexican Holiday Fight Weeks In Las Vegas

For the last 17 years, Cinco De Mayo and Mexican Independence Day weekend have been dominated by boxing’s biggest stars.

Those two weekends were a staple for Floyd Mayweather from 2009 to 2015. After he retired, Saul “Canelo” Alvarez took the mantle and rose to the sport's pinnacle, with most of his biggest fights taking place on Mexican holiday weekends.
Now that Alvarez closes in on the end of his career, that has paved the way for someone else to take over.

David Benavidez will have the chance to further cement himself as one of boxing's stars, potentially being the next fighter to take over Cinco De Mayo and Mexican Independence Day weekend when facing Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez for his WBA and WBO cruiserweight titles on May 2.

The matchup between the Mexican champions will headline a PBC PPV on Prime Video at T-Mobile Arena.
“This is a fight that we've been trying to make for a long time,” Benavidez told The Ring before a press conference Saturday to officially announce his fight with Ramirez. “I’ve known Zurdo for years. We sparred him a lot, had a lot of great sparring sessions with him. I got him ready for his first world title fight when he fought Arthur Abraham, and he became the first Mexican champion at 168. Needless to say, we have a lot of history together.

“I know it's going to be a great fight. He's going to come in prepared, but I know what I've done with Zurdo in the past and know what I can do to him, so I'm extremely confident."

Benavidez (31-0, 25 KOs) currently holds the WBC light heavyweight title and is ranked No. 8 on The Ring’s pound-for-pound list. The Phoenix, Arizona native and two-division titleholder notched his first defense with a dominant seventh-round stoppage of Anthony Yarde on Nov. 22.

Ramirez (48-1, 30 KOs) of Mazatlan, Sinaloa, Mexico, has won four straight fights since moving up to cruiserweight and the 34-year-old southpaw is coming off a unanimous decision over Yuniel Dorticos on June 28.

Benavidez, 29, isn’t planning on the 200-pound move being permanent for now, expecting a move back down to 175 pounds where he'd either face unified Ring, IBF, WBA and WBO light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol or former undisputed divisional beltholder Artur Beterbiev on September 12 - fitness permitting.

“I don't hope, that's what it's going to be,” Benavidez said of fighting on Cinco De Mayo and Mexican Independence Day weekend. “The way I make sure of that is I'm just going to make the best fights happen. Hopefully, we get Beterbiev or Bivol right here in September, and then next year, the same thing. Just keep it going, giving fans the biggest fights possible.

“This is why boxing is boxing. The real fights are 50-50, I don't want easy fights. I want to achieve my greatness and show the fans who I am.”

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http://www.boxingtalk.com/Ramirez-I-want-to-fight-the-best-and-Benavidez-is-one-of-the-best

Press Release

Undefeated two-division champion David “El Monstro” Benavidez officially announced his challenge of Mexico’s first cruiserweight champion, unified WBA and WBO king Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez (pictured). The two men went face to face on Saturday at a press conference to promote their showdown in Las Vegas on Saturday, May 2nd headlining a PBC pay-per-view event available on Prime Video from T-Mobile Arena. The fight will deliver a first of its kind Mexico vs. Mexico showdown on one of boxing’s premier weekends featuring two fighters with a combined record of 79-1, with 55 KOs. During the press conference, the fighters and teams spoke of their intense past sparring sessions and promised that the action on May 2nd would far surpass those gym wars.

Pre-sale tickets are available Tuesday, February 24 from 10 a.m. PT until 10 p.m. PT through AXS.com with the codes: PBC or GBP; Public on-sale begins Wednesday, February 25 at 10 a.m. PT through AXS.com. The event is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and Sampson Boxing, in association with TGB Promotions.

Here is what the press conference participants had to say Saturday from Park MGM in Las Vegas:

GILBERTO “ZURDO” RAMIREZ

“I’m so glad to be here to make a huge fight for May 2nd. Don’t miss this fight. I know Team Benavidez, they actually helped me a lot for my first world title fight. We’re gonna make this an exciting fight. At the end of the day, the titles are staying with Zurdo.

“I knew this would happen eventually. This is a dream come true. Right now is the right moment at 200 pounds. We’re going to feel comfortable and be at our best.

“He’s the monster. He’s different. He used to beat up a lot of sparring partners. Now we’re here, we’re two warriors and we’re making history.

“I just want to be the best. I want to fight the best and he’s one of the best. I just want to give the fans who love this sport the best fights.”

DAVID BENAVIDEZ

“This is something I’ve been working toward for a long time. We’ve had so many great sparring sessions and I told Zurdo then, we’ll have to do this on pay-per-view one day. Now we’re going for two titles on May 2nd and I’m very grateful.

“I feel like I’m on the cusp of being the face of boxing. And if Zurdo wins, his stock goes up. There’s greatness on the other side of that tunnel for both of us. So we’re gonna come extremely prepared.

“For the whole history of Cinco de Mayo fights, it’s been tremendous fighters like Oscar and Chavez. Not just great fights, but wars. Because they never took easy fights. That’s what we’re doing. We’re two Mexican warriors going for the title.

“Zurdo is a top fighter. He’s a great fighter. I was helping him get ready for Arthur Abraham and we had some great sessions. I knew he was gonna be one of those guys who would be around for a long time. Eventually we were gonna do this.

“I’m gonna go in there and leave everything in the ring. I’m making sure I’m doing extra reps with anything and everything I do. That’s just the way I fight. I want to earn the fans respect and go in there and put on a great fight.

“I want to make my own lane and achieve greatness.”

JOSE BENAVIDEZ SR. David’s Father & Trainer

“David Benavidez doesn’t just have to win. He has to show out to prove he can go after the Bivols and Beterbievs. This is gonna be an explosive fight. I also want to thank all the Mexican people for all their love and support. David Benavidez is showing he truly is the Mexican Monster.

“Be there on May 2nd. A new era will begin. The era of the Mexican Monster.”

JULIAN CHUA, Ramirez’s Trainer

“I can’t say how much of an honor it is to be a part of Cinco de Mayo weekend. The heritage of Mexican boxing built this sport.

“Neither team is too big into talking, and there won’t be a need for it. I’ve seen them sparring up close, and those rounds were all pay-per-view worthy. Now you layer on that it’s a real fight, the competitive nature that brought them both to where they are today, at its peak form, it will be there.

“This is gonna be a shootout and a great war. I don’t feel any pressure, because the way these guys are, it’s gonna be a great fight.”

OSCAR DE LA HOYA, Chairman & CEO of Golden Boy Promotions

“I’m really excited about Cinco de Mayo weekend this year. Traditionally you’ve had great fighters like Julio Cesar Chavez, myself, Canelo Alvarez, fighting on this big weekend. But the fact that two Mexicans are fighting in the main event for the belts, it’s gonna be extra special.

“We have the first Mexican super middleweight and cruiserweight world champion on Cinco de Mayo in one corner in Zurdo Ramirez. And we know that Benavidez brings everything to the table, from round one to round twelve. I expect this to be a classic Mexican war. That’s what fight fans want to see. They want to be part of a historic event. That’s exactly what this fight brings to the table.

“These guys have 55 knockouts between them. They’re not gonna bore the crowd. They’re gonna put on a show. They’re technicians, but they’re fighters. The pressure is on. Cinco de Mayo is a date where people expect fireworks and that’s exactly what we will get.”

SAMPSON LEWKOWICZ, Sampson Boxing

“This is going to be a special Cinco de Mayo. I’m thankful that we’ve come together to make a great show and many more in the future. This is going to be one of the best shows that money can buy.

“Benavidez is taking his own way to become the best of the best. He’s not going to wait around for any challenger or champion. I want to thank ‘Zurdo’ for stepping up, because this is the fight.”

[Ruthless-RKO]

WBO, WBA deny special WBC belt for Gilberto Ramirez-David Benavidez

The WBO and WBA are prepared to withdraw their sanctioning of the May 2 unified cruiserweight championship fight between Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez and David Benavidez due to the unexpected involvement in the fight by the WBC, Boxing Scene learned Thursday.

The Mexico-based WBC this week summoned two-division champions Ramirez, 48-1 (30 KOs), and Benavidez, 31-0 (25 KOs), to Mexico for a ceremony unveiling a special new “Tollan Tlatequi” belt for the Cinco De Mayo bout winner in Las Vegas.

That event, according to boxing officials, prompted a conversation between WBO President Gustavo Olivieri and WBA President Gilberto Mendoza.

Although the unbeaten Benavidez wears the WBC light heavyweight belt, his cruiserweight pursuit is for the WBO and WBA straps in an event those sanctioning bodies want to stamp as their own.

Thus, the WBO and WBA are expected to submit letters Friday to Golden Boy Promotions’ Oscar De La Hoya and Eric Gomez and Premier Boxing Champions’ Tom Brown and Luis DeCubas Jnr expressing their dismay.

If the WBC special belt is to be fought for, according to the letter, the WBO and WBA will not award their belts to the winner.

Noel Mikaelian, of Armenia, currently wears the WBC cruiserweight belt.

Olivieri and Mendoza did not immediately respond to messages left by BS on Thursday.

Because Ramirez is from Mazatlan, Sinaloa, Mexico, and Benavidez is a Mexican-American from Phoenix, the fight is being billed as an all-Mexico affair, built around a significant date for that country (as well as on the annual boxing calendar).

The drama continues a weeks-long saga over belts that saw the WBC yank its belt from lightweight titleholder Shakur Stevenson after he fought for the WBO 140lbs belt and didn’t pay the WBC-requested sanctioning fees.

Then, earlier this week, the IBF declined to sanction cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia’s title defense in Las Vegas because of the presence of the new Zuffa Boxing belt.

Whether Opetaia will be stripped or not is still under consideration by the IBF.

[joshj909]

Absolutely nobody cares about WBC's novelty belts. I don't know why they do them

[Ruthless-RKO]

Absolutely nobody cares about WBC's novelty belts. I don't know why they do them

Bena will have to pay a fee regardless.
If a titleholder fights in another weight for another org belt, they pay part of the sanction fee.

Same reason Stevenson didn't pay and vacated. after he fought Teo.

[Ruthless-RKO]

[THEBUTCH]

Tacky piece of shit !

The fight, on the other hand, will see some serious leather being swapped

[Ruthless-RKO]

Armando Resendiz is in talks to defend his WBA super middleweight title vs Jermall Charlo on the May 2nd ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez vs David Benavidez card, sources have told @MikeCoppinger.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Official: WBA will sanction Ramirez-Benavidez regardless of WBC special belt

An individual connected to the planned May 2 unified cruiserweight title bout pitting champion Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez versus unbeaten David Benavidez told Boxing Scene Tuesday that the WBA will indeed sanction the bout despite some friction over the WBC creating a special belt for the winner.

The WBO for now is maintaining its position that if the winner fights for the WBC’s new “Tollan Tlatequi” commemorative belt, the fight will not be sanctioned by the Puerto Rico-based body that currently has Mexico’s Ramirez as its champion.

“The World Boxing Organization has clearly established the conditions under which sanction approval could be granted, including the championship belts to be contested, displayed and awarded,” WBO President Gustavo Olivieri told Boxing Scene Tuesday. “We expect full adherence and compliance by the relevant parties, including the promoters of record, which have been duly notified.”

Former WBC super-middleweight champion Ramirez, 48-1 (34KOs), first claimed the WBO 200lbs belt by defeating Chris Billam-Smith in November 2024, successfully defending both belts in June over Cuba’s Yuniel Dorticos.

WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman invited both his light-heavyweight champion Benavidez, of Phoenix, and Ramirez to Mexico earlier this month for a ceremony announcing the new belt.

The WBC has presented a special belt to the winners of all Cinco de Mayo and Mexican Independence weekend fight cards since 2017. This one, however, is not for a WBC belt, and the intrusion bothered the rival bodies.

“Mauricio does have Benavidez as his [175lbs] champion … it’s not like it’s a complete highway robbery,” one individual connected to the fight told BS Tuesday.

The WBO notified the connected promoters of its intention to strip by letter, and one official told BS Monday they would work to soothe the hard feelings and keep both titles in play for the Las Vegas bout.

Sanctioning bodies have been embroiled in a few controversies in recent weeks, including the WBC’s decision to strip lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson of his belt after he won the WBO 140lbs belt January 31 and declined to pay the WBC a sanctioning fee.

Earlier this month, the IBF reported it would not sanction its cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia’s March 8 victory over ranked challenger Brandon Glanton as Opetaia became the first Zuffa Boxing champion with his unanimous-decision triumph in Las Vegas.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Jose Armando Resendiz-Jermall Charlo to land on Ramirez-Benavidez card

Jose Armando Resendiz has a firm challenger in place for his first title defense.

Boxing Scene has learned that long-rumored talks between Mexico’s Resendiz and Houston’s Jermall Charlo have advanced from “in progress” to “done” for their proposed springtime clash. The attractive matchup is budgeted for the May 2 Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez-David Benavidez PBC on Prime Video pay-per-view event from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Ring Magazine’s Mike Coppinger was the first to report the updated status on the bout.

Resendiez, 16-2 (11 KOs) will attempt the first defense of the WBA 168lbs belt, while Charlo, 34-0 (23 KOs) bids to become a three-division titleholder.

The matchup would settle old business, as both appeared on the same May 31 PBC on Prime Video show from Michelob ULTRA Arena in Vegas. Ironically, the card was designed for Charlo to eventually meet former IBF 168lbs titlist Caleb Plant in a long-sought (by PBC) grudge match.

However, Resendiz ruined everyone’s plans after he defeated Plant via split decision to claim the WBA interim title and also earn the 2025 Upset of the Year.

Charlo defeated Thomas “Cornflake” Lamanna in the evening’s co-feature in his best effort to preserve the targeted clash with Plant. The fight was his first in more than 19 months and just his second in a span of nearly four years.

Prior to that, Charlo held the WBC middleweight title but hadn’t defended the belt since June 2021. He was permitted to hold on to the title for an absurd amount of time before the sanctioning body finally upgraded interim titlist Carlos Adames due to Charlo’s inactivity.

His return proved right on time for the super middleweight division, given the subsequent change of scenery at the top level.

An upgrade to Resendiz’s title status was provided when Terence “Bud” Crawford announced his retirement from the sport last December. With his exit, Crawford abdicated his undisputed 168lbs throne roughly three months after his upset win over Saul “Canelo” Alvarez last September.

Vacant title fights were sought among the WBC, IBF and WBO, while Resendiz was automatically upgraded to full titleholder.

Charlo also previously held the IBF 154lbs title for more than two years before he began his campaign at middleweight.

Resendiz is riding a modest two-fight win streak headed into the matchup and four victories in his past five starts. However, that stretch includes upset wins over Plant and former unified 154lbs titlist Jarrett Hurd.

The winner of Resendiz-Charlo will – theoretically – have to next face mandatory challenger Bektemir Melikuziev. Of course, that would require WBA officials to actually order the fight.

[Ruthless-RKO]

It’s Munguia again

[Ruthless-RKO]

DAZN involvement in Ramirez-Benavidez a positive sign for Golden Boy's future with platform

The already-announced Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez-David Benavidez cruiserweight title fight provides hope for a continued future between DAZN and Golden Boy Promotions.

The May 2 Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on Prime Video pay-per-view event will also be distributed by DAZN’s streaming service, the over-the-top platform confirmed Tuesday. It marks the latest joint venture between platforms, once again on a show involving PBC (Benavidez) and Golden Boy (Ramirez).

Both platforms will carry the event live from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. DAZN was not initially confirmed among the distribution partners during the February 21 kickoff press conference in Las Vegas.

Aside from working out the distribution kinks – DAZN choosing to carry it as part of its higher-tier Ultimate plan, how that translates on the PPV backend, etc. – it marks a significant step in bridging the gap for Golden Boy and DAZN to finalize terms for a multi-year extension.

For the moment, Golden Boy is operating on a show-by-show basis with the platform, after its latest deal expired last December 31. The two have worked in an exclusive capacity since December 2018 but have endured a tumultuous relationship ever since Golden Boy and Saul “Canelo” Alvarez parted ways in late 2020.

To date, Golden Boy has presented two DAZN shows in 2026 – its January 16 card featuring Raul Curiel, and last weekend’s show in Anaheim, California, featuring two championship fights and Arnold Barboza’s dominant showing versus Kenneth Sims Jnr at welterweight.

It was previously believed that Ramirez-Benavidez would operate solely as a Prime Video event. Worth noting, however, is that even DAZN’s promo poster still advertised the show as a “PBC PPV” and with Benavidez getting top billing despite challenging for Ramirez’s WBA/WBO 200lbs titles.

Still, the fact that DAZN is even involved at all is a testament to the two-way commitment with Golden Boy to remain in business together.

The development comes as Golden Boy is currently headed to arbitration with Vergil Ortiz Jnr, one of its highest profile boxers though the two are clearly on the outs. Ortiz and manager Rick Mirigian attempted to leverage Golden Boy’s expired deal with DAZN as grounds to terminate their existing promotional contract.

To date, a judge has yet to agree with their interpretation of the fine print. Section 10(g) of Ortiz’s contract calls for termination of said agreement if Golden Boy’s distribution relationship with DAZN terminates, providing in relevant part as follows:

· Promoter’s distribution relationship with DAZN is a material incentive for Boxer to enter into this Agreement. In the event that Promoter’s distribution relationship with DAZN terminates, for any reason, and Promoter does not have an agreement in principle in place for an exclusive distribution relationship with an alternative broadcaster, then Boxer shall have the right to terminate this Agreement.

Ortiz and his team have thus far unsuccessfully argued that Golden Boy’s absence of a platform deal equates the termination of an agreement, given the “relationship” terminology used in the contract.

Furthermore, efforts to have DAZN COO Ed McCarthy speak on the boxer’s behalf appeared to have backfired. McCarthy stated in a sworn declaration that “DAZN remains open to seeking to agree and enter into a long-term distribution agreement with GBP on commercially reasonable terms, whether or not GBP has Mr. Ortiz under contract.”

At least on that front, DAZN and Golden Boy continue to operate in good faith. The belief from both sides – per sources – is that better news is soon to come.

Meanwhile, Ramirez, 48-1 (30 KOs) will attempt his third overall cruiserweight title defense and his second as a unified titlist.

The Mexican southpaw won the WBA belt in a March 2024 unanimous decision victory over unbeaten Arsen Goulamirian. He then wrapped up the year with a competitive but clear win over Chris Billam-Smith to add the WBO title to his collection.

Both belts were at stake in Ramirez’s unanimous decision over former two-time cruiserweight titlist and WBA mandatory challenger Yuniel Dorticos last June 28 in Anaheim, California. It was his only fight on the year, as he was sidelined for the entire second half of 2025 to recover from subsequent shoulder surgery.

Benavidez, 31-0 (25 KOs), will aim to become a three-division titlist.

The former two-time WBC super middleweight titleholder added the WBC light heavyweight belt to his collection last year. It came by default, as he was upgraded from interim titlist after then-fully unified champ Dmitry Bivol refused to move forward with their ordered title consolidation bout.

One defense followed: a one-sided, seventh-round knockout of Anthony Yarde last November 22 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Benavidez revealed during the post-fight interview that – rather than wait on whoever they put in front of him – he decided to once again let his nuts hang and chase after a showdown 25lbs north with Ramirez.

With a win, Benavidez is more likely to vacate the belts and return to light heavyweight, where he fancies an undisputed showdown with Bivol, who remains the recognized lineal, RING, WBA, IBF and WBO champ.

A win by Ramirez would go a long way in further bolstering Golden Boy’s stable. He is one of five primary titleholders, along with: WBC men’s welterweight titlist Ryan Garcia; undisputed women’s flyweight queen Gabriela Fundora; lineal, RING, WBA and WBO men’ strawweight champion Oscar Collazo; and unified WBA/WBC men’s flyweight titlist Ricardo Sandoval.

[Ruthless-RKO]

OSCAR DUARTE VS. ANGEL FIERRO ADDED TO MAY 2 BENAVIDEZ-RAMIREZ CARD

A trio of Mexico vs. Mexico matchups has been added to the Cinco de Mayo weekend card headlined by the bout between WBA and WBO cruiserweight champion Gilberto Ramirez and David Benavidez on May 2 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

In the co-main event, WBA super middleweight champion Armando Resendiz (16-2, 11 KOs) will face Jaime Munguia (45-2, 35 KOs). The Ring reported the development on Tuesday, as Munguia stepped in for the suddenly unavailable Jermall Charlo.

Also on the undercard is a 10-round junior welterweight bout between Oscar Duarte (30-2-1, 23 KOs) and Angel Fierro (23-4-2, 18 KOs), and a 10-round junior middleweight fight between Isaac Lucero (18-0, 14 KOs) and Alan Sandoval (30-0-1, 19 KOs).

An additional pay-per-view undercard bout will be announced for the DAZN and Prime Video event presented by PBC and Golden Boy Promotions.

“I’m very happy to be stepping into the ring with a great fighter like Jaime Munguia, who’s been competing at this level for a long time,” Resendiz said in a statement. “For me, this is a big challenge and a huge motivation. These are the kinds of fights I’ve always dreamed about – facing the best names in the sport and proving that I belong at this level.”

Resendiz is coming off a split decision win against Caleb Plant in May, while Munguia avenged his 2024 knockout loss to Bruno Surace with a unanimous decision in May.

“I’m very excited to be back, especially to fight for a world title against a fellow Mexican,” Munguia said in a statement. “I’m truly grateful to my team and everyone who made this fight possible. We’re ready to come out victorious on this great night for Mexico.”

Duarte, meanwhile, will get another opportunity to fight after seeing his February 21 title shot against IBF junior welterweight champion Richardson Hitchins get canceled on the day of the fight after Hitchins fell ill. Duarte last fought in August and scored a majority decision win against Kenneth Sims Jr.

“This is a great event that falls on a very meaningful date for all Mexicans, which makes it even more special to me,” Duarte said in a statement. “I can’t wait to face another Mexican warrior who’s already proven his talent and courage in the ring. When two Mexicans step into the ring, people know it’s gonna be a great fight.

"We’re both going to give it everything we have, and I’m sure it will be a war that fans will truly enjoy. I want to thank my whole team for including me on this great card on such an important date for all Mexicans.”

Fierro knows all too well about weight management issues, forcing a fight to fall off at the last minute. Fierro pulled out of his July rematch against Isaac Cruz because of issues making weight on the day of the weigh-in, which followed a unanimous decision loss in a war with Cruz five months earlier. Fierro’s disastrous 2025 campaign also included a disqualification loss for kicking an opponent during an October tune-up fight.

“I’m very grateful to my team for this great opportunity,” Fierro said in a statement. “We’re ready to return to Las Vegas and deliver a great fight and a surprise, just like we do every time we step into the ring. I want to make a statement that I’m still among the elite. I have a lot of respect for Oscar Duarte. We’ve trained in the same gym before, so I know this fight is going to be explosive.”