Benavidez demolishes Ramirez in six rounds to become three-division champion

Key facts

• David Benavidez (32-0, 26 KOs) defeated Gilberto 'Zurdo' Ramirez (48-2, 30 KOs) by sixth-round KO.
• Benavidez dropped Ramirez in round four and again in round six, the latter ending the fight.
• The victory made Benavidez the first boxer to hold world titles at super middleweight, light heavyweight, and cruiserweight.
• Ramirez's right eye was swollen shut by the sixth round; he took a knee and did not answer the count.
• Benavidez landed 23 of 45 power shots in the sixth round.
• The fight took place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Cinco de Mayo weekend.
• Jaime Munguia defeated Armando Resendiz by unanimous decision in the co-main event.

A career-defining performance on a historic night

David Benavidez delivered a statement victory on Saturday, stopping Gilberto 'Zurdo' Ramirez in the sixth round to unify the WBA and WBO cruiserweight titles at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The win, which came on Cinco de Mayo weekend—a date long owned by Canelo Alvarez—established Benavidez as a three-division world champion, a feat no other boxer has achieved. Benavidez, ranked No. 7 on Uncrowned's pound-for-pound list before the fight, improved his record to 32-0 with 26 knockouts. Ramirez, a former champion, fell to 48-2, suffering his second career defeat after a 2022 points loss to Dmitry Bivol.

The fight: Benavidez's power and speed overwhelm Ramirez

From the opening bell, Benavidez tested his hand speed and power at the higher weight class. He forced Ramirez backward with right hands down the middle in the first round, and though Ramirez pressed forward in the second, Benavidez landed left hooks with frequency. The third round saw furious exchanges, but Benavidez's combination punching proved decisive. In the fourth round, Ramirez appeared to be having success with his pressure, but in the final seconds, Benavidez backed him up with a right hand and then dropped him with a blistering combination. Ramirez took a knee and was saved by the bell. The champion's right eye began swelling, and though he battled through the fifth, Benavidez's left hooks to head and body continued to land.

The finish: a devastating combination ends the contest

By the sixth round, Ramirez's right eye was nearly shut. Benavidez fought off the ropes and dug a right hook to the body, then unleashed an eight-punch combination that froze Ramirez. A left hook, a right, and two more punches sent the southpaw retreating; he held a glove over his damaged eye and sank to a knee. Referee Thomas Taylor began the count, and when he reached eight, Ramirez shook his head. Benavidez refrained from adding unnecessary blows, then celebrated in the corner as the fight was waved off at 2:59 of the round. Benavidez landed 23 of 45 power shots in the final round, a testament to his relentless output. Ramirez's trainer Julian Chua had implored his fighter to 'stop fighting his fight,' but the champion was too committed to a mano a mano battle.

History made: Benavidez becomes first three-weight champion

With the victory, Benavidez added the WBA and WBO cruiserweight titles to his previous reigns at super middleweight and light heavyweight. He is the only boxer in history to hold world titles in three weight classes from 168 to 200 pounds. The achievement came after years of frustration chasing fights with Canelo Alvarez, Dmitry Bivol, and Artur Beterbiev, none of which materialized. Benavidez's move up to cruiserweight was a gamble that paid off. His hand speed, a hallmark at light heavyweight, carried over to the higher division and posed significant problems for Ramirez. 'I just want to give the fans what they want to see,' Benavidez said after the win.

Post-fight callouts: Canelo and Bivol in the crosshairs

In the ring after the fight, Benavidez called out Canelo Alvarez, who was in attendance at T-Mobile Arena. 'I saw Canelo in the building. Do you guys want to see Canelo vs. David Benavidez?' he asked the crowd, which responded with cheers. Earlier in the broadcast, Alvarez's name had been booed heavily, a sign of shifting loyalties on what was once his signature weekend. Benavidez also mentioned Dmitry Bivol, the unified light heavyweight champion who defeated Ramirez in 2022. Bivol is scheduled to fight Michael Eifert on May 30 and likely a trilogy bout with Artur Beterbiev. Whether either aging champion, both coming off surgeries, would accept a fight with Benavidez remains an open question.

Undercard highlights: Munguia wins by decision

In the co-main event, Jaime Munguia defeated Armando Resendiz by unanimous decision to retain the WBA super middleweight title. The judges scored the bout 117-111, 119-109, and 120-8. Other notable results included Oscar Duarte's split decision victory over Angel Fierro and Tito Sanchez's tenth-round TKO of Jorge Chavez.

What comes next for Benavidez and Ramirez

Benavidez, now a three-division champion, has multiple options. A fight with Canelo Alvarez would be a massive pay-per-view event, though Alvarez has shown little interest in the matchup. A bout with Dmitry Bivol or Artur Beterbiev at light heavyweight or cruiserweight could also be lucrative. For Ramirez, the loss is a significant setback. At 34, he must decide whether to rebuild at cruiserweight or consider a move down in weight. His promoter will need to assess his marketability after a second stoppage defeat.

The bottom line

• David Benavidez became the first boxer to win world titles at super middleweight, light heavyweight, and cruiserweight.
• He stopped Gilberto 'Zurdo' Ramirez in the sixth round with a devastating combination, dropping him twice.
• Benavidez called out Canelo Alvarez and Dmitry Bivol after the fight, but both fights face obstacles.
• Ramirez suffered his second career loss, both by stoppage, and his right eye was severely swollen.
• The event took place on Cinco de Mayo weekend, traditionally Canelo's night, signaling a changing of the guard.
• Benavidez's hand speed and power translated effectively to the cruiserweight division.