One glance at unified cruiserweight champion Gilberto “El Zurdo” Ramirez and one has to wonder how the 6′ 2½″ Mexican southpaw ever made the super middleweight limit. The Sinaloense, who made history in 2016 by becoming the first Mexican super middleweight champion, enters his fourth cruiserweight bout defending his current titles against another former super middleweight champion in David “El Monstruo” Benavidez.
“I believe we can deliver the ‘Fight of the Year,’” he told Boxing Social.
Ramirez (48-1, 30 KOs) is determined to retain his titles in devastating fashion and defy the betting odds, putting the cherry on top of this explosive Mexico vs Mexico pay-per-view megacard on Saturday, May 2, from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Both Mexicans look to conquer a knockout victory this significant Cinco de Mayo weekend, once headlined by legends like Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and Floyd “Money” Mayweather, and later abandoned by Saul “Canelo” Alvarez in pursuit of the Saudi payday.
“Headlining Cinco de Mayo adds a lot of motivation for me,” said Ramirez. This date is for the legends of the sport. I’m ready to show everything I can do.”
If this card delivers on its promise, boxing in Las Vegas will continue to thrive on key dates, especially with Premier Boxing Champions and Golden Boy Promotions teaming up again this year.
Benavidez (31-0, 25 KOs), arguably Canelo’s most requested opponent, is no stranger to the Vegas lights and PPV stage, and carries the biggest fanbase on the card. The Phoenix native is also no stranger to Ramirez, with whom he’s had a sparring relationship earlier in his career.
“We’ve had so many great sparring sessions, and I told Zurdo then, we’ll have to do this on pay-per-view one day,” Benavidez said. “Now we’re going for two titles on May 2, and I’m very grateful.”
After nearly 200 rounds sparred with Ramirez, bettors believe Benavidez knows his power and plans to overwhelm him for the titles.
Ramirez disagrees, stating their sparring took place years ago and arguing Benavidez has no idea what it’s like to face him as a professional opponent.
“The sparring with Benavidez happened a long time ago,” he said. “Now we’re gonna jump in there with smaller gloves and no headgear. It’s gonna be very different on May 2. Everyone is gonna see.”
Ramirez believes Benavidez’s confidence will betray him, because the jump to cruiserweight is should be about proving it against naturally bigger men over time. Benavidez went the distance in his first two light heavyweight outings, which raises a fair question about whether his volume-heavy, pressure style will have the same effect as he climbs another division.
At 175, he could overwhelm opponents without needing one-punch authority; at cruiserweight, that margin shrinks. Ramirez, meanwhile, is no longer draining himself to make weight—he’s a fully acclimated cruiserweight who has already gone through three fights in the division, including bouts against former champions, and has shown he can absorb shots from naturally bigger punchers.
That experience matters. If Benavidez can’t command respect early, he risks walking into a bigger, fresher Ramirez who is built to take those shots and return them with more impact than anything he’s faced above super middleweight.
There’s just as strong an argument on the other side, because Benavidez’s offensive profile is built to test exactly the kind of openings Ramirez has shown before. According to CompuBox, Benavidez ranks alongside Shakur Stevenson as one of the sport’s most effective combination punchers, and that layered volume—punches coming in threes, fours, and fives—can be far more disruptive than single-shot power at a new weight.
Ramirez had visible trouble dealing with the disciplined jab of Dmitry Bivol, and while Benavidez is a very different stylist, his ability to close distance behind hand speed and sustained pressure could recreate those same moments of hesitation, only at a much higher tempo. Styles make fights, but Benavidez’s speed and work rate could force Ramirez into exchanges he may not be able to control over twelve rounds.
Julian Chua, Ramirez’s trainer, claimed predictions and sparring advantages don’t exist. He said, if anything, the sparring history will only elevate the show come fight night.
“The heritage of Mexican boxing built this sport…Neither team is too big into talking, and there won’t be a need for it,” Chua said. “I’ve seen them sparring up close, and those rounds were all pay-per-view worthy.”
Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions, also promised an action-packed main event.
“I’m really excited about Cinco de Mayo weekend this year,” said De La Hoya. “These guys have 55 knockouts between them. They’re not gonna bore the crowd. They’re gonna put on a show. They’re technicians, but they’re fighters. The pressure is on. Cinco de Mayo is a date where people expect fireworks, and that’s exactly what we will get.”
The Mexican pay-per-view card features WBA super middleweight champion Armando “Toro” Reséndiz defending his title against former world champion Jaime Munguía in a Nayarit vs. Tijuana co-main event.
Oscar Duarte faces former stablemate Angel “Tashiro” Fierro in a super lightweight bout. Undefeated Isaac “Puro México” Lucero meets Ismael Flores, and super bantamweight contenders Jorge Chavez and Jose “Tito” Sanchez open the card in a matchup of Golden Boy’s unbeaten fighters.
In addition to the PPV being available for purchase on Prime Video, regardless of Prime membership, fans will also be able to continue to access the telecast through traditional cable and satellite outlets.
“Don’t miss this fight,” Ramirez urged the fans. “I know Team Benavidez; they actually helped me a lot with my first world title fight. We’re gonna make this an exciting fight. At the end of the day, the titles are staying with Zurdo.”
