Ramirez vs Benavidez Predictions: Benavidez chases three-division greatness

Two-weight world champion David Benavidez looks to add the cruiserweight crown to his burgeoning mantle as he faces Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez for the WBA and WBO 200lbs belts this Saturday, May 2. This huge Mexican-heritage clash takes place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas with Amazon Prime PPV broadcasting live.

Read on for my Ramirez vs Benavidez predictions ahead of this enticing title attraction.

Ramirez vs Benavidez Odds

Zurdo is marketed at 4/1 to score the victory in Vegas. The oddsmakers favour Benavidez, is priced at 1/5 to prevail. If you like the draw, you can back the stalemate at 16/1.

Ramirez vs Benavidez Fight Preview

This is the first cruiserweight super-fight in a good while, albeit it’s not quite the one we expected. Not long ago, Jai Opetaia and Zurdo were circling what would have been an IBF/WBO/WBA unification bout. But with Opetaia relinquishing his IBF belt to become a political plaything in Zuffa’s attempt to fix the aspects of boxing that aren’t broken, another world champion steps into the breach opposite Ramirez.

An unbeaten two-time WBC super middleweight boss, Benavidez got sick of waiting for Canelo Alvarez to fight him and moved up to light heavyweight in mid-2024. A points win over once-beaten ex-champion Oleksandr Gvozdyk bagged him the WBC’s interim strap.

Benavidez defended the interim gong twice, beating WBA regular kingpin David Morrell in a very impressive display before dominating and stopping Anthony Yarde. ‘The Monster’ proved himself as a world class light heavyweight. But with Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev seemingly locked in purgatory as they seek an on-off trilogy fight, there was little else for Benavidez to prove.

So, with Zurdo at a Zuffa-fied loose end, Benavidez moves up in weight for the second time in two years to battle Ramirez. It is a brave step for a man who has only fought above the super middleweight limit three times. Especially since the 25lb jump from light heavyweight to cruiser is the largest consecutive-division leap in boxing. 

But Ramirez is conducive to such a jump, given the fact he is a former super middleweight himself. After five successful defences of the WBO 168lb crown, Zurdo moved up to light heavyweight in 2019. The 34-year-old went 4-0 with four knockouts in decent company before Bivol disavowed him of any championship notions with a wide points win for the WBA belt. 

Zurdo dusted himself off and made the same 25lb jump Benavidez is attempting to reach cruiserweight. Four wins have followed that quantum leap, each coming against a former or reigning world champion. Along with points wins over Joe Smith Jr and Yuniel Dorticos, Ramirez also relieved WBA titlist Arsen Goulamirian and Britain’s WBO kingpin Chris Billam-Smith of their belts.

Ramirez’s skills and instincts have followed him to 200lbs. His power has not. All four of his outings at cruiser have ended in unanimous decision victories. If you’re Benavidez, that fact gives you heart as you step-up in weight. As the Arizona-born challenger assesses his own capabilities in a new weight class, the fact that his opponent is no longer a power puncher is helpful. 

Ultimately, this fight will be about adjustments. Zurdo has already made his, but he sacrificed his knockout ratio in the process. Benavidez was an excellent super middle and light heavyweight. Arguably a better one than Zurdo. But now ‘The Monster’ must make his advantages translate as he weighs in bigger than ever.

Ramirez vs Benavidez Fight Card

Gilberto Ramirez vs David Benavide

Jose Armando Resendiz vs Jaime Munguia

Oscar Duarte Jurado vs Angel Daniel Fierro Barrera

Isaac Lucero vs Ismael Flores

Jorge Chavez vs Jose Tito Sanchez

Daniel Blancas vs Raul Isaias Salomon Pantoja

Petr Khamukov vs Bernard Joseph

Juan Carrillo vs Marlo Delgado

Julio Ocampo Hernandez vs Carlos Lewis

Javier Meza vs Damonte Smith

Jordan Palacios vs Sean Waugh

Dylan Capetillo vs Martin Caraballo

Ramirez vs Benavidez Prediction

Ramirez boxes from the southpaw stance, but does little to make himself awkward. Zurdo comes to fight and he will look to impose his greater experience at this higher weight.

I think Benavidez can overcome that strategy. He is quicker and a bit more defensively switched-on than the champion. I reckon the American will use the first couple of rounds to acclimatise before fighting Zurdo’s fire with considerable flames of his own.

It should be a good scrap. Ramirez’s thrilling win over Billam-Smith proved that he’s at his best when he just toughs it out and out-battles his man. But that strategy is a mistake against Benavidez. I expect ‘The Monster’ to win by decision, using his greater ring generalship and his precise jab to edge ahead on the cards. Benavidez on points is priced at 8/13.

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