David Benavidez dismantled Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez on Saturday, stopping the Mexican with a stunning combination to win the WBA and WBO cruiserweight titles.
At T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Benavidez dropped Ramirez in the fourth round and again in the sixth, with the latter knockdown proving decisive.
The first knockdown came courtesy of Benavidez’s trademark, rapid flurries – one against the ropes and one out in the open – with single, heavier shots mixed in.
It was a left hook that finally put down Ramirez on that occasion, badly damaging his eye as well, but the 34-year-old was saved by the bell before battling through the fifth round.
But late in the sixth frame, Benavidez fought his way off the ropes and dug a right hook to the body, before unleashing a rapid-fire eight-punch combination.
That froze Ramirez, who then ate a left hook, a right, and one more of each. The southpaw retreated, holding a glove in front of his damaged eye, and sank to a knee.
Benavidez refrained from adding any unnecessary blows, before Ramirez shook his head at referee Thomas Taylor when the count hit eight, sparking jubilation in Benavidez in the corner.
The result kept the 29-year-old unbeaten (32-0, 26 KOs) and saw him become a three-weight world champion, as he added to his title reigns at super-middleweight and light-heavyweight.
Meanwhile, Ramirez (48-2, 30 KOs) tasted defeat for just the second time, following his 2022 points loss to Dmitry Bivol.
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Bivol was on Benavidez’s radar during the latter’s recent run at light-heavyweight, although the former undisputed champion is tied up with a fight against Michael Eifert on 30 May and then likely a trilogy bout with Artur Beterbiev.
Before targeting Bivol, Benavidez was eyeing a bout with Canelo Alvarez, but the Mexican-American’s frustrations at failing to secure that fight led him to move up in weight.
