The new Mexi-kings: Can David Benavidez and 'Zurdo' Ramirez claim boxing's most important date?

LAS VEGAS — On Saturday, May 2, one fighter will forever change the landscape of North American boxing. In one corner, we’ll see Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez put his unified cruiserweight world championship belts on the line against David Benavidez, who, in the other corner, fights for the first time in the 200-pound division, risking his status as the seventh-best pound-for-pound fighter in the world, per Uncrowned’s latest rankings . It is, perhaps, an unexpected fight considering Benavidez only fought twice at light heavyweight after winning world title fights at super middleweight.

And considering recent talks for a fight with Dmitry Bivol, there is clearly unfinished business for the WBC light heavyweight champion at 175 pounds. Ramirez, too, could box other cruiserweight giants like Jai Opetaia. For fans on the outside looking in, both men have more pressing rivals.

But, for the fighters themselves, this is a bout they have visualized for years. Their story goes back to a sparring session in 2016 — a time when Benavidez was still a prospect 18 months shy of his first championship win. A more established fighter at that time, Ramirez recruited the teenage “Monster” into his camp to help him prepare for his first title shot against Arthur Abraham.

Ramirez won that fight by lopsided decision. “The sparring happened a long time ago,” Ramirez told Uncrowned. “The sessions would have been a great pay-per-view.