Benavidez, 29, has been a two-division world champion in just three fights at light heavyweight. He captured his first super middleweight world championship three months before he turned 21, making him the youngest 168-pound world champion in history.
Fighting on the Cinco de Mayo weekend is important for Benavidez. “That day is legendary because we already know what's coming on that day. We're going to make history. Two Mexican fighters fighting on Cinco de Mayo for the cruiserweight belts. It doesn't feel right to give my people what they want to see on our day.”
These people of ours are very familiar with each other; they have thanked many times. Benavidez helped Ramirez prepare for his super middleweight title fight against Arthur Abraham in April 2016, when Zurdo became Mexico's first-ever 168-pound world champion.
Ramirez is looking forward to sharing the ring with Benavidez. “I'm very excited to be headlining this event. I believe we have an opportunity to give the fans the 'Fight of the Year'. Although David Benavidez and I have done nearly 200 rounds together in our career, being in the ring is very different. This will not be just an ordinary fight; this will be a fight.”
Although Benavidez is moving up one weight class to challenge Zurdo for his WBA and WBO cruiserweight titles, it's a big step up.
In all of his last three fights, Zurdo Ramirez has weighed in at over 199 pounds, just under the 200-pound weight limit for the cruiserweight division. In November against Yarde, Benavidez weighed in at 174.3 pounds. Benavidez is young and the betting favorite against Zurdo in the Cinco de Mayo bout. But even for a heavyweight like David Benavidez, moving up 25 pounds in weight to fight a multi-division world champion in just over five months is difficult to do.
Benavidez intends to return to light heavyweight after his fight with Ramirez. The show will be fought again on Mexican Independence Day weekend, September 12. Benavidez will go after one of two orcas at light heavyweight: Dmitrii Bivol (24-1, 12 KO) or Artur Beterbiev (21-1, 20 KO).
Benavidez looks happy to have taken Mexico's best boxer by the horns over two weekends. “I don't expect that to be the case. The way I guarantee that is I'm going to make the best fights happen. Hopefully we'll get Beterbiev or Bivol right here in September, and then next year, the same thing. Just keep going, give the fans the biggest fights possible.”
At 168 pounds, Benavidez defeated top super middleweights, including Anthony Dirrell, Caleb Plant, and David Lemieux. He was the only man able to solve defending ace Demetrius Andrade, knocking out the undefeated Rhode Island native after six rounds, the last time we saw Andrade. Of course, there was one man Benavidez wanted to take on at 168 pounds.
Frustrated by Canelo Alvarez's reluctance to fight him at super middleweight, Benavidez moved up in weight. After three fights at light heavyweight and three victories against Oleksandr Gvozdyk, David Morrell, and Anthony Yarde, Benavidez became a two-division world champion.
With 25 knockouts in 31 victories, it's easy to think that Benavidez has won by outscoring his opponents alone. What makes the Mexican Monster so scary is that he has the boxing skills to set up his superpowers. According to Compubox, Benavidez connects with 38.5% of his punches, the second highest percentage in the sport.
The fastest way from point A to point B is a straight line, a saying that Benavidez lives by when he throws punches. His jab is accurate and powerful. His crosses and hooks are straight. He throws uppercuts with brutal intent. By using exemplary footwork to keep his opponents at his preferred range, Benavidez sets himself up for devastating punches.
His last fight against Yarde was a good example. The fight turned in the fourth round when Benavidez started using his power jab. Benavidez got Yarde's attention by landing a few jabs. As Yarde prepared to line up straight, hard jabs, he left himself vulnerable to cross hooks around his defensive guard. Benavidez was happy to take advantage of the opportunity, and eventually the referee waved the punch a few rounds later.
Only time will tell if David Benavidez could be the next Mexican boxing star, joining the likes of Julio Cesar Chavez, Oscar de la Hoya, and Canelo Alvarez. Many of Mexico's top boxers trade in the lower weight divisions.
Over the past sixty years there have been winners like Vicente Saldivar, Ruben Olivares, Carlos Zarate, Salvador Sanchez, Ricardo Lopez, Erik Morales, and Marco Antonio Barrera dominating the lightweight divisions.
For Benavidez, he trades light heavyweight and cruiserweight ranks to put wind in his sails to become a household name. In general, fans pay more attention to heavy weight classes. Speaking English and Spanish helps to communicate with fans. As an aggressive fighter who doesn't mind trading punches, he is well suited to become a fan favorite, like many Mexican fighters before him.
For now, Benavidez doesn't seem too concerned about being the face of boxing. “A lot of people were putting out 'the face of boxing'. I'm just trying to be who I know I am, and that's one of the baddest fighters in the world, calling everybody out and beating these fighters and winning championships. If that gets me the title of face of boxing, I guess that's what it is.”
Wresting two cruiserweight belts away from Zurdo Ramirez on Saturday night would be an important step towards the spotlight. A follow-up victory over Bivol or Beterbiev in September would give Benavidez a strong case for Fighter of the Year and give his career a big boost.
Those are two daunting tasks, but David Benavidez isn't worried. “That's why boxing is boxing, real fights are 50-50, I don't want easy fights, I want to achieve my greatness and show the fans who I am.”
It's a fitting moniker to give Benavidez a future conversation, but on Saturday night, the title of “cruiserweight unification champion” will be enough for The Mexican Monster.
