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Andreas Hell
multiple authors
LAS VEGAS — David Benavidez recently told ESPN that he didn’t just want to be the face of Mexican boxing, but the face of entertainment. And after this the demolition derby he organized He’s on his way to reclaiming that title against former sparring partner and unified cruiserweight champion Gilberto “Zardo” Ramirez on Saturday at T-Mobile Arena.
He hasn’t progressed at all canelo alvarez in terms of star power, but each decisive performance from Benavidez adds to his legend as one of the world’s most exciting athletes, regardless of sport.
Benavidez moved up another weight class and defeated Ramirez soundly to become a three-division champion – the first boxer to win titles at super middleweight, light heavyweight and cruiserweight. What was appalling about his performance was that the fight ended up being a side quest for Benavidez, who was patiently waiting out the lightweight giants. artur beterbiev Or Dmitry Bivol To open your door to “The Mexican Monster”. And that’s saying a lot considering Benavidez had to take two titles from Ramirez, who had previously only lost to Bivol – a unanimous decision in 2022. Bivol did not defeat Ramirez the way Benavidez did.
Even though Benavidez was the favorite in the fight (-550 per DraftKings Sportsbook), few expected him to run down Ramirez the way he did. It was violent, remorseless and left the two-division champion with an eye injury. It was the kind of performance that forces potential Benavidez opponents to reconsider their options for preserving his career.
Benavidez has never shied away from an opponent and has hunted down guys ranging from 168 to 200 pounds to test himself. Following his latest win, Benavidez will drop back down to light heavyweight in search of a fight with Bivol. He’s called for a fight with Canelo – the white whale he’s been chasing for the past half-decade – but the chances of the Mexican superstar sharing the ring with Benavidez are slim.
“I just want to give the fans what they want to see,” Benavidez said during his postfight ring interview. “I look at Canelo [Alvarez] In the building. Hey, let me ask the fans this. Do you guys want to see Canelo vs. David Benavidez?” The crowd responded with a cheer. “Enough,” Benavidez said.
But at this point, few people will complain if Canelo, who is still fighting at 168 pounds, opts to stay away from Benavidez.
We have reached a point where Benavidez has become a must-see on television, where his every performance is highlighted with viral moments such as the vulgar combinations with which he leveled Ramirez during their cruiserweight title fight. Boxers of this size should not have such fast hands, yet Benavidez has the hand speed and power to knock down an opponent. Roy Jones Jr. told ESPN before the fight that Benavidez does things with ease that normal fighters can’t do. And that’s high praise coming from boxing’s human highlight reel.
“I want to follow in Manny Pacquiao’s footsteps,” Benavidez said during the post-fight press conference. “You know, funny enough, me and Manny Pacquiao have the same birthday, so I feel like we have the same fire and the same flame. And, you know, I just want to give these types of exciting fights. Because when I was a little kid, that’s what always excited me, you know, these types of fights, seeing these, you know, these, these crazy knockouts, these crazy stoppages.”
Benavidez is not only exciting, he is also impressive. He has been dominating the opponent for the last seven years and breaking the will of each opponent at a time. The worst thing for any incumbent is that if his excuse for not fighting is to protect his health, it will not resonate with boxing fans. The fight with the sound ring tactician in Bivol will be as good as it gets in boxing, where the Russian’s airtight defense will be put to the test against the swarming style of Benavidez who has knocked out 32 consecutive opponents. Bivol will return to the ring on May 30 against Michael Eifert in what is believed to be nothing more than a tuneup fight. After that, there’s no excuse for not making Bivol-Benavidez.
“Bivol is number one on my hit list,” Benavidez said. “Bivol, he’s a great competitor, great champion, but I’m also a great champion. I just want to test myself in every single fight.”
And if for some reason that fight doesn’t happen, rest assured that Benavidez will look to former light heavyweight champion Beterbiev for a fight. After all, it’s never about the opponent, it’s about the opportunity to hurt whoever is available.
As Benavidez told ESPN before the fight, “I love beating people.”
