Golden Boy Promotions announced today that secondary light heavyweight champion David Benavidez will move up to cruiserweight to challenge unified titlist Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez in the main event of a May 2nd Prime Video PPV from T-Mobile Arena.
Ramirez (48-1, 30 KO) had a lengthy reign at 168 and did solid work at 175, but has really come into his own as a cruiserweight, comfortably beating solid opposition through four fights. He lifted the WBA belt from Arsen Goulamirian in 2024, added the WBO belt to his collection by beating Chris Billam-Smith nine months later, then turned aside faded challenger Yuniel Dorticos in his lone fight of 2025.
Having hit a Canelo-shaped wall at 168 and a Dmitry Bivol-shaped wall at 175 in his pursuit of blockbuster bouts, Benavidez (31-0, 25 KO) will try his hand 25 pounds north. His three-fight stay at 175 has seen him beat former champ Oleksandr Gvozdyk, then-unbeaten David Morrell Jr, and most recently Anthony Yarde in his first fight since being upgraded from interim champion to the real deal. It’s an open question whether his bruising style can continue to work against larger opponents, but he figures to put on a hell of a show either way.
Should have a good undercard for this one, so we’ll keep you posted.
