To the surprise of many, WBC light-heavyweight champion David Benavidez, 31-0 (25 KOs), announced an ambitious next move after overpowering Anthony Yarde last weekend.
The first defence of his world title was handled in straightforward but emphatic fashion, with the bulldozing Benavidez pummelling Yarde to a fourth career defeat. The seventh-round stoppage underlined that the champion remains a ferocious force at 175lbs.
However, in his post-fight interview, ‘The Mexican Monster’ revealed he would move up to cruiserweight to challenge unified world champion Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez on May 2, 2026.
Ramirez, 48-1 (30 KOs), strengthened his claim as the world’s leading cruiserweight by beating Chris Billam-Smith in their 2024 unification, though he was far from his best last time out against veteran Yuniel Dorticos.
The boxing world has already began to speculate over how a proposed Benavidez vs. Ramirez fight would go, and one man who has now offered his take on the showdown is boxing legend Roy Jones Jr.
Jones won world titles at middleweight, super-middleweight, light-heavyweight and heavyweight, but a cruiserweight belt eluded him at a stage of his career when retirement should already have beckoned.
In a recent interview with Boxing King Media, the all-time great from Pensacola gave his view on who would prevail in the all-Mexican clash between Ramirez and Benavidez.
“He [Benavidez] going to beat Zurdo. He wanted Zurdo a long time ago, and I think he going to beat Zurdo.”
Ramirez may return in January for a tune-up before facing Benavidez. The 34-year-old southpaw underwent shoulder surgery in July and is ready to return having made a full recovery.
