Highlights! Benavidez Obliterates Zurdo To Become Cruiserweight Champion

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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - MAY 02: Referee Thomas Taylor sends David Benavidez to a neutral corner after Benavidez knocked down WBA/WBO cruiserweight champion Gilberto Ramirez in the sixth round of a title fight at T-Mobile Arena on May 02, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Benavidez took the title with a sixth-round TKO. (Photo by Steve Marcus/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez and David Benavidez went to war last night (Sat., May 2, 2026) inside T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada in a WBA and WBO Cruiserweight title fight to put a bow on a busy day of combat sports across boxing and mixed martial arts (MMA) around the globe.

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Benavidez was coming in as the challenger, but he dominated the headlines and the spotlight during fight week over the champion, and was even coming in the favorite. And it didn’t take long for him to prove why.

From the jump Benavidez went right at Zurdo and never backed down an inch. “The Mexican Monster” was the slightly smaller fighter, but he proved to be the faster one as he won the striking exchanges early and often. Despite putting on weight Benavidez unloaded one speedy combination after another and never broke stride.

In round four, the barrage of strikes started to take a toll on Zurdo, who had to take a knee in the closing seconds of the round, which was only his second knock down of his career. A couple of rounds later, Benavidez started to attack the right eye of Zurdo, which was closing fast, as well as his busted nose. In an wild exchange, Benavidez tagged the champion with a solid punch on the damaged eye that forced him to take another knee.

This time, however, Zurdo was unable to answer the count giving Benavidez the knockout victory and the titles.

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With the win, Benavidez (32-0) is now a three-division champion, winning straps at 168, 175 and now 200 pounds. After his win, “The Mexican Monster” once again called for a fight against Canelo Alvarez — who was in attendance —at 175 pounds. For now, Canelo is set to face Christian Mbilli later this year for the WBC Super Middleweight title, while Benavidez admitted Dmitry Bivol is next on his hit list.

If none of those bouts come to pass, Benavidez could be eyeing a title unification bout against current The Ring and Zuffa Cruiserweight title holder, Jai Opetaia, who called for the winner of the fight.

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