Benavidez secures the combined WBA and WBO titles with a spectacular knockout and is crowned triple world champion.
David Benavidez defeated Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez with a devastating knockout in the sixth round to secure the combined WBA and WBO cruiserweight world titles. Benavidez (32-0, 26 knockouts) is now world champion in three weight classes after his victory on Cinco de Mayo weekend at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Ramirez (48-2, 30 knockouts) had a clear size advantage, which he tried to exploit in the opening rounds by working his way forward from behind a closed guard. However, Benavidez demonstrated his speed and ability to box from the back impressively in his cruiserweight debut.
At the end of the third round, Benavidez opened fire with a quick series of punches to the head. In round four, he shifted his attacks to the body, settling into his punches and landing hard right hands to the torso. Ramirez countered but was rocked by two accurate right punches. Although Ramirez countered again from the ropes, he had to take more hard hits in return. Finally, Benavidez hit him hard on the head, whereupon Ramirez went down on his knees. However, he got back to his feet in time for the bell.
At the start of the fifth round, Benavidez scored with a double left hook and a left uppercut. Ramirez continued to march forward, but this proved to have serious consequences in the sixth round. The defending champion pushed Benavidez into the ropes, but ran into another quick combination that dropped him to his knees again. The referee stopped the fight with one second left on the clock. Benavidez now holds world titles in two weight classes and is also the reigning WBC World Light Heavyweight Champion.