Benavidez Crushed Ramirez to Win Two Cruiserweight Belts
David Benavidez stopped Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez at 2:59 of round six on May 2, 2026, at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The knockout earned Benavidez the WBA and WBO cruiserweight titles after two knockdowns.
A title fight at cruiserweight
Ramirez entered as the reigning WBA and WBO cruiserweight champion. Benavidez moved up in weight for the challenge, seeking a world title in a third division while retaining his WBC light heavyweight championship.
Benavidez pressed the action with combinations to the body and head. He dropped Ramirez twice, and the second knockdown came late in the sixth round after another sequence of clean punches.
Referee Thomas Taylor stopped the contest at 2:59. The official result was a sixth-round knockout for Benavidez, who took both cruiserweight belts from Ramirez.
A three-division champion
The win made Benavidez a world champion at super middleweight, light heavyweight and cruiserweight. PBC described him as the unified WBA and WBO titleholder after the victory.
Ramirez had previously won world championships at super middleweight and cruiserweight before moving to cruiserweight. His loss ended the reign he had built with victories over several established division contenders.
The Nevada commission record, PBC’s event report and the WBC’s post-fight account agree on the result and stoppage time. The article’s title stakes refer specifically to the WBA and WBO cruiserweight belts, not a single undisputed championship.
Sources
- Premier Boxing Champions: official result and title change
- Nevada commission: official event record
- World Boxing Council: fight report
