David Benavidez Targets Control of Cinco de Mayo Weekend With Ramirez Fight

David Benavidez wants control of Cinco de Mayo weekend. His cruiserweight fight with Gilberto Ramirez is part of that plan.

The fight with Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez at 200 pounds is significant, though the deeper move centers on Cinco de Mayo. Benavidez said plainly that he wants to “take that date away for good” and make it his own. That kind of language draws a line.

For years, that weekend has belonged to Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, following a run that traces back through Julio Cesar Chavez, Oscar De La Hoya, and Floyd Mayweather. Benavidez is stepping straight into that history, aiming to claim the calendar as much as the belt.

“That date doesn’t belong to one fighter,” Benavidez said. “It’s for the [boxers] who give the best fights. I want them to never forget the date and the event, to make it long-lasting.”

The cruiserweight move supports that ambition. Benavidez already holds a light heavyweight title and continues to call for Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev at 175lbs. He remains open to Alvarez, but only at light heavyweight. Heavyweight talk, which he continues to dismiss, is something he says could come years down the line. His focus remains on strengthening his position in divisions where he believes he can dominate now.

At 29, he says he walks around at roughly 205lbs with nearly 10 weeks remaining before the Prime Video pay-per-view fight in Las Vegas. He described the move from 175lbs to cruiserweight as a major physical adjustment, but also acknowledged the benefit of not draining himself during camp. “It’s nice knowing that I don’t need to focus on losing weight,” he said. “I’m expecting the best version of myself.”

There is also familiarity with Ramirez. Jose Benavidez Snr said the two shared extensive sparring over several years, estimating roughly 100 sessions that often stretched eight to 10 rounds. He warned against underestimating the southpaw. “Don’t let him trick you. People say he’s slow, but he’s accurate,” Benavidez Snr said. “He’s very hittable, but we’ve got to find him. He’s not heavy-handed, so we can take some risks. The key is punches, punches, punches.”

Few fighters are operating across boxing’s divided landscape the way Benavidez is. He fought Anthony Yarde on a Saudi-backed card connected to Turki Alalshikh. He is now facing a Golden Boy-promoted fighter while aligned with Premier Boxing Champions. He continues to mention Bivol, Beterbiev, and Alvarez without drawing promotional lines. That willingness strengthens his claim to headline a weekend traditionally reserved for one star.

A clear win over Ramirez would shift the Cinco de Mayo discussion. The attention would move toward who delivers the strongest night on that weekend and away from habit or history. Benavidez is banking on activity and forward pressure to plant his flag there.

He is not waiting on Canelo or asking for that slot. If he wins and fights the way his camp suggests, control of the date becomes tied to performance in the ring. Tradition fades quickly when another fighter sets the pace and keeps the crowd invested.