On Saturday, David Benavidez convincingly defeated Anthony Yarde to defend his WBC and WBA “regular” light heavyweight titles and revealed his intention to challenge WBO and WBA cruiserweight champion Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez in May. Benavidez, now undefeated with a 31-0 record including 25 knockouts, secured a technical knockout in the early seventh round at the ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, delivering a decisive combination of punches to both the body and head.
Benavidez, known as “The Mexican Monster,” expressed his excitement after the fight and officially announced his upcoming title challenge against Ramirez set for May 2nd. This bout was Benavidez’s third at light heavyweight, following two decision victories against David Morrell and Oleksandr Gvozdyk. The fight against Yarde began competitively, but by the sixth round, Benavidez took full control, visibly energized after a strong uppercut from Yarde.
Now, Benavidez is set to face fellow Mexican Gilberto Ramirez, who has an impressive 48-1 record, with his only recent loss coming by decision to Dmitry Bivol in a non-title match in 2022.
Fan Take: This victory and Benavidez’s move up in weight class are significant for fight fans as it sets the stage for an electrifying clash between two dominant Mexican champions. Such high-profile matchups could inject fresh excitement and new storylines into the sport, potentially elevating cruiserweight division interest.
