Prepare for War: Benavidez v Ramirez Preview and Prediction 

It’s set to be an all-out war as the unbeaten David Benavidez challenges Gilberto Ramirez for the WBA and WBO cruiserweight titles at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday night (Sunday morning SA time), writes Quintin van Jaarsveld.

David Benavidez (1.28) v Gilberto Ramirez (4.00) (WBA and WBO Cruiserweight Championships)

MAIN CARD:

Saturday, May 2, 1 PM SAST

Step aside, Canelo Alvarez. This year, it’s not the future Hall of Famer headlining Cinco de Mayo weekend but rather Benavidez, the all-conquering destroyer Canelo has avoided crossing paths with.

Known as “The Mexican Monster”, a nickname bestowed upon him by none other than the legendary Mike Tyson, Benavidez is a beast incarnate. Thirty-one men have tried, and 31 men have failed to stop the seemingly unstoppable 29-year-old.

His beastly side is out for blood and brutality, while his other half, the professional pugilist, is all about the three Cs – challenges, cheques and championships. He’s a competitor, not a can crusher like so many other boxers. He doesn’t seek out easy or low-risk bouts to ‘build his brand’; he actively pursues the toughest tests available to prove his greatness.  

When it became clear that Canelo was never going to fight him, the former two-time WBC super middleweight champion moved up to light heavyweight and captured the vacant WBC belt with a decision win over Oleksandr Gvozdyk in 2024.

He outpointed David Morrell to retain the title last February and was elevated to full champion when then-undisputed champion Dmitry Bivol fought Artur Beterbiev for a third time rather than fulfil the WBC’s request to defend the championship against the interim titleholder.

After another successful defence against Anthony Yarde, a seventh-round knockout, in November to extend his flawless record to 31-0 with 25 KOs, Benavidez is moving up to bigger and better things once again as he looks to become a three-weight world champion.

It takes two to tango, and the other half of the Cinco de Mayo main event is fellow Mexican warrior Ramirez. Better known as “Zurdo”, he has an excellent record of 48-1 with 30 knockouts.

His only loss came via unanimous decision to Bivol when he challenged for the WBA light heavyweight title in 2022, and he has won four straight fights since, all by decision. The last time we saw him in the ring, he got the better of Yuniel Dorticos last June.

Four things make Ramirez a formidable foe for Benavidez – his size, experience, boxing ability and the fact that he’s a southpaw. He, like Benavidez, started out at super middleweight, where he won his first title, but he’s a natural cruiserweight.

Size isn’t everything, but it does play an undeniable role in boxing, both when it comes to dishing out and taking punishment, and this is no small step up for Benavidez – it’s a full 25 pounds. Add Ramirez’s vast experience as he enters his 50th pro fight and willingness to trade, and this promises to be a banger.

Both men are fierce, fearless and durable, which should make for an all-action affair that lights up Las Vegas. Both men will have their moments, but when the dust settles, the better pure boxer in the relentless Benavidez should be crowned a three-weight king.

Prediction: Benavidez by decision.

Best Bet: Benavidez by decision at 1.80.