This weekend, David Benavidez steps up to cruiserweight for a challenging fight with reigning and unified champion Gilberto Ramirez. Now, just days out from the fight, two-division world champion Tim Bradley has altered his prediction for how the fight may play out.
Benavidez has claimed world honours at both super-middleweight and light-heavyweight, but the 25lb gap between light-heavyweight and cruiserweight could mean that he is in for his toughest test to date.
Against Ramirez, ‘The Mexican Monster’ is tasked with a man who has also ruled at super-middleweight, but has proven himself as a cruiserweight – where he has won four consecutive unanimous decisions, picking up the WBA and WBO straps.
Last month, Bradley predicted that Benavidez will ‘whoop’ Ramirez, but he told Fight Hub TV that he is now anticipating a close and ‘great’ fight, with Benavidez still coming out on top.
“To be honest with you, it is a great fight. I think that Ramirez is kinda getting slept on. You gotta understand that he has been at this weight for some time now, he is acclimated, this is David’s first fight at cruiserweight, it is going to be different.
“I know that he has the right style to give Ramirez fits, if he can still have the punch volume that he punches with and the hand speed. I think that his mobility is going to be a little bit different too, [25lbs] that’s a lot of weight, man.
“Benavidez does have the style to give Ramirez some issues, but you have got to think about stamina, will his power translate at the heavier weight? There is a lot to think about in this fight, a lot of questions that need to be answered.
“I’m going to go with Benavidez, because I think that Benavidez is special. I think he has what is internal and needed, he can pull it off.”
“He is going to bring it out, he has got that dog in him. I think that he is going to take Ramirez to that brink, I don’t think that he is going to stop him but I know that he is going to put some work in.”
Zurdo vs. Benavidez takes place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday night.
