David Benavidez knocked out Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez to capture the WBA and WBO cruiserweight titles. Following the impressive win, he called out Canelo Alvarez.
Benavidez moved 25 pounds up to face Ramirez. He squared off against ‘Zurdo.‘ In the Cinco de Mayo celebration weekend. On May 2 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
‘The Monster’ silenced all the critics who questioned his move in the new weight division before finishing Ramirez.
From the opening rounds, Benavidez controlled the tempo and applied pressure. As the fight progressed, his power began to show. He knocked down Ramirez in the fourth round and then finished him in the sixth round. He landed clean hooks that made ‘Zurdo’ take a knee, as his eyes were swollen shut. The referee began the count, but the Mexican failed to get up and lost the bout.
Following the spectacular win, in the ring interview, the new cruiserweight champion turned his attention to a long-discussed matchup, calling out Canelo Alvarez, who was present at the ringside to support Jaime Munguia, who fought in the undercard.
“I just want to give the fans what they want to see.I’ve seen Canelo in the building.”
He then addressed the crowd directly, asking if they wanted the fight. The arena erupted in response, further fueling the callout.
“Hey, let me just ask the fans this. Do you guys want to see Canelo versus David Benavidez? [Crowd erupts]. Enough said. That means that we can’t leave that fight on the table.” Benavidez said.
David Benavidez calls out Canelo‼️#BenavidezZurdo pic.twitter.com/Dgxn7V5aJQ
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) May 3, 2026
Benavidez remains focused on Alvarez after expanding legacy
Benavidez showed respect toward Alvarez and also addressed questions about whether the fight is realistic.
“You know what I mean? Whatever, I have respect for Canelo. He’s a great champion, but I’m a great champion too. Let’s do it.” Benavidez said, “I don’t know, man.I mean, I’m still champion at 175 pound. I’m a champion at 200 at 175 pound. So they want to come get at 175 then come get at 175.”
With the victory over Ramirez, Benavidez etched his name in boxing history as he became the first one to win titles at 168,175 and 200 pounds.
Meanwhile, reports have emerged that Alvarez is set to fight Christian Mbilli for the latter’s WBC super middleweight title. The bout is expected to take place in September in Riyadh.
However, Benavidez openly criticised the reported bout between Alvarez and Mbilli. He then suggested a few opponents a few days ago.
‘The Monster’ performance during the Cinco de Mayo weekend added to the spectacle, making it one of the most talked-about moments in boxing.
With momentum firmly on his side, Benavidez has now placed himself at the center of the sport’s biggest conversations, and his next move could define the next chapter of his career.
