PHOENIX – David Benavidez has no intention of repeating history when it comes to fights being left on the table.
The unbeaten two-division titlist has made a point to secure fights with the biggest names within his reach. After years of failing to entice then-undisputed 168lbs champ Saul “Canelo” Alvarez into a fight that was in high demand, Benavidez, 31-0 (25 KOs) has now placed his focus squarely on the biggest names at light heavyweight and cruiserweight.
The next order of business for “The Mexican Monster” is a May 2 showdown with unified WBA and WBO 200lbs titlist Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez, 48-1 (30 KOs) in Las Vegas. The all-Mexican clash will take place at either T-Mobile Arena or MGM Grand Garden Arena. Whichever is selected, the venue figures to be packed for the pre-Cinco de Mayo bill.
From there, the intention is to return to 175lbs, where he still holds the WBC title and has every intention to face the division’s two best fighters.
“I’m going up specifically for that fight [with Ramirez],” Benavidez confirmed to BoxingScene and other outlets during a gym opening in the greater Phoenix area. “But I’m coming back down after that. Instead of me waiting on a fight, I’m moving up to get a recognizable name.
“I’m going for those (WBA and WBO) cruiserweight belts, but then I want to come back down and get Artur Beterbiev and Bivol.”
Benavidez twice held the WBC 168lbs title and left the division in 2024 while still recognized as the WBC interim titlist. He claimed the secondary version of the belt with a third-round knockout of David Lemieux in a May 2022 Showtime headliner in Glendale, near his Phoenix childhood hometown.
The next two years were spent with his demands of a Canelo showdown falling on deaf ears, including from the WBC who never attempted to enforce the title consolidation bout.
Alvarez, 63-3-2 (39 KOs), was the chief benefactor of Benavidez’ weight miss ahead of an August 2020 knockout win over Alexis Angulo. The scale infraction cost Benavidez his second WBC 168lbs title reign, immediately after which Alvarez and head trainer Eddy Reynoso lobbied the sanctioning body to next fight for the belt.
It created the path for Alvarez to fully unify the division, with title wins over a trio of unbeaten beltholders – Callum Smith, Billy Joe Saunders and Caleb Plant – all in an 11-month span.
Benavidez worked his way back to his WBC mandatory challenger and then the interim titlist but never came close to landing the fight. His final year at the weight (2023) saw him earn wins over Plant and unbeaten Demetrius Andrade.
The following year, Benavidez – well aware that an Alvarez fight was not going to happen – added 7lbs to his large frame and has quickly established himself as the top threat at 175lbs. He defeated Oleksandr Gvozdyk to win the WBC interim light heavyweight title in June 2024.
This time, it came with the assurance from the sanctioning body that he was guaranteed a shot at the full version of the title. Benavidez still opted to let his nuts hang, and pursued a grudge match with WBA secondary titleholder David Morrell, whom he outpointed last February 1 in Las Vegas.
Benavidez preserved his place in line as the next ordered challenger for the Bivol-Beterbiev rematch, won by Bivol via majority decision last February 22 in Riyadh. The rematch from their October 2024 full unification bout – won by Beterbiev – was approved on the condition that Benavidez would get the winner next.
WBC officials held up their end and ordered a Bivol-Benavidez title consolidation bout. The matter ended with Bivol vacating the WBC belt, thus splintering his undisputed championship reign, which in turn allowed Benavidez to become a two-division titlist.
That doesn’t mean the fight is no longer of interest to him.
“I’m here to become undisputed champion,” insisted Benavidez. “I’m not trying to stay at cruiserweight after this fight. I want to go back down and get all the belts [at light heavyweight]. “So, Bivol’s gotta come see me eventually. I guess he’s coming back in April with this tune-up or whatever [likely a mandatory title defense against IBF number-one contender Michael Eifert]. I don’t know if he and Beterbiev are gonna fight a third time after that, but really I’m trying to get both of them in the ring. That’s who I want after Zurdo, is Beterbiev and Bivol.”
