David Benavidez Shows His Power and Aims for Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez
David Benavidez solidified his dominance in boxing by defeating Anthony Yarde on Saturday, retaining his WBC and WBA super-middleweight titles. Following the victory, he announced his plans to challenge Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez, WBO and WBA cruiserweight champion, in May. Benavidez (31-0, 25 KOs) achieved a resounding technical knockout (TKO) victory over Yarde (27-4, 24 KOs). The fight, held at the ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, saw Benavidez knock down Yarde in the seventh round, ending the match with a series of punches at 1 minute and 59 seconds. The fight was dominated by Benavidez, who imposed his rhythm with effective combinations to his opponent’s body and head.
This was Benavidez’s third appearance in the light heavyweight category and his first stoppage victory at this weight. His two previous fights at 175 pounds resulted in decision victories against David Morell and Oleksandr Gvozdyk. Benavidez took approximately four rounds to unleash his full potential against Yarde, but once he did, the control was total. The situation for Yarde deteriorated in the sixth round, when Benavidez responded to a good uppercut from Yarde with a demonstration of power in the center of the ring. This blow seemed to motivate Benavidez even more, who dominated the rest of the round and the fight. If the fight materializes, Benavidez would face another Mexican champion, Ramirez (48-1, 30 KOs). Ramirez’s last defeat was by decision against Dmitry Bivol in a non-title fight in November 2022.“He entered the Monster’s world and was knocked out,” declared Benavidez, known as “The Mexican Monster.” “This is incredible. I am very happy with this. I have news. On May 2nd, Zurdo Ramírez, I am going up to challenge for his title.”
David Benavidez
