Unified Cruiserweight champ Gilberto "Zurdo" Ramirez is prepping for his May 2nd PPV main event with light heavyweight champ David Benavidez and he spoke about their upcoming battle from his camp.
Unified WBA and WBO Cruiserweight World Champion Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez is preparing for one of the most significant moments of his career as he headlines "Cinco de Mayo Weekend" in Las Vegas. On Saturday, May 2, Ramirez will face undefeated two-division world champion David Benavidez in the main event of a PBC Pay-Per-View on Prime Video, live from T-Mobile Arena.
For Ramirez, 48-1, 30 KOs, the opportunity represents both a personal milestone and a chance to cement his legacy on one of boxing’s biggest stages.
“It’s an honor to be in this position,” said Ramirez recently. “You have to be a great fighter and a big name to headline Cinco de Mayo Weekend. Now it’s my time.”
The matchup carries historic significance beyond the championship stakes. Ramirez vs. Benavidez will mark the first time two Mexican fighters meet in a world title bout above 168 pounds.
“Fighting another Mexican is extra motivation, We’re making history. There’s never been a fight like this between Mexican fighters this big. It’s going to be an amazing night. We’re going to leave everything we have in the ring.”
The two fighters also share a unique past. Years ago, Benavidez served as a sparring partner for Ramirez, while Ramirez was preparing for his first world title victory against Arthur Abraham in 2016. Ramirez recalls those sessions as intense,
"Our sparring sessions would have been a great pay-per-view,” said Ramirez. “We both know that each of us has a lot of skill that we’ll be bringing into the ring. But I’ve also grown a lot as a fighter since we sparred. I’ve gotten a lot more experience that I’m gonna take into this fight.”
Further, Ramirez has been waiting a long time for the possible Benavidez matchup and spoke candidly,
“I’ve thought about fighting for David for about 10 years,” said Ramirez. “I think we both wanted to fight each other for that long. Now the time is almost here. David is a great fighter. I’ve been watching him a lot over the years and keeping an eye on him, knowing that one day we’d get in there together.”
Ramirez’s had tremendous success earlier in his career with five successful defenses of his 168-pound title. But, he moved up in weight and experienced a setback with a 12 round lopsided loss to Russian Dmitry Bivol.
However, he has transitioned to cruiserweight has revitalized his career. He captured a world title by defeating the previously unbeaten Arsen Goulamirian in March 2024, then unified belts with a decisive win over Chris Billiam-Smith later that year. He continued his strong run by defeating former champion Yuniel Dorticos last July.
Despite these accomplishments, Ramirez believes his best performance is still ahead. He sees the upcoming fight with the unbeaten Benavidez, as an opportunity to surpass his recent efforts and deliver a memorable battle.