David Benavidez dismantled Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez on Saturday night, stopping the veteran with a spectacular combination to seize the WBA and WBO cruiserweight titles.
At T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Benavidez dropped Ramirez in the fourth round and delivered a decisive knockdown in the sixth that ended the fight.
The opening knockdown stemmed from Benavidez’s signature rapid-fire flurries – one series pinning Ramirez against the ropes and another in open space – punctuated by powerful single shots.
A left hook ultimately floored Ramirez on that occasion, also swelling his eye badly, though the 34-year-old survived until the bell and fought through the fifth round.
Late in the sixth, Benavidez battled off the ropes, landed a sharp right hook to the body, and then unleashed a blistering eight-punch barrage.
That sequence froze Ramirez, who absorbed a left hook, a right, and follow-up shots from both hands. The southpaw backed away, shielding his injured eye with a glove, before dropping to a knee.
Benavidez held back from any extra shots as referee Thomas Taylor counted. At eight, Ramirez shook his head in defeat, sending Benavidez’s corner into wild celebration.
The victory kept the 29-year-old undefeated at 32-0 with 26 knockouts and made him a three-division world champion, adding cruiserweight gold to his previous reigns at super middleweight and light heavyweight.
Meanwhile, Ramirez fell to 48-2 with 30 KOs, suffering just his second career loss after a 2022 decision defeat to Dmitry Bivol.
Benavidez remained perfect while handing Ramirez his second pro defeat. With bigger names like Canelo Alvarez and Dmitry Bivol on the horizon, the rising star continues to make a strong case for his place among boxing’s elite.