David Benavidez wasted no time mapping out his next move after stopping Anthony Yarde on Saturday in Riyadh. Instead of lingering on the seventh-round knockout, the unbeaten two-division titlist immediately revealed he plans to jump to cruiserweight for a shot at unified WBA and WBO champion Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez. The fight is targeted for May 2 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, with a date already on hold for the Cinco de Mayo weekend.
Benavidez announced the news moments after dominating Yarde. Golden Boy Promotions publicly backed the matchup shortly after, posting a promotional teaser and urging fans to “save the date.” While some loose ends remain, the event is expected to be a joint promotion involving Golden Boy, Sampson Boxing, and Premier Boxing Champions.
Before the unification showdown can be finalized, Ramirez must first return on January 16 as part of the Alexis Rocha–Raul Curiel II undercard. It will mark his first fight since shoulder surgery following his June victory over Yuniel Dorticos. Should he win and come out injury-free, the signed agreements for the May 2 clash will be activated. Ramirez enters this stretch as a 2024 dual-title winner, having claimed his belts with victories over Arsen Goulamirian and Chris Billam-Smith.
Benavidez has flourished since moving to 175 pounds, picking up wins over Oleksandr Gvozdyk and David Morrell Jnr before being elevated to full WBC champion after Dmitry Bivol vacated. Though Bivol was once viewed as the logical next opponent, that path collapsed as the WBA, IBF, and WBO champ chose not to proceed with a Benavidez fight and has remained inactive since February.
If Ramirez handles business in January, the cruiserweight showdown moves one step closer, with sanctioning bodies expected to formally address Benavidez’s plans during the ongoing WBC convention in Bangkok.
Image Credit: Queensberry Promotions