Chris Billam-Smith Says David Benavidez Could Succeed At Heavyweight

The former WBO cruiserweight champion says Benavidez exceeded his expectations against Gilberto Ramirez and could win fights at heavyweight

Chris Billam-Smith believes David Benavidez could compete successfully at heavyweight after his victory over Gilberto Ramirez. The former WBO cruiserweight champion admitted he expected Ramirez to win and said Benavidez’s performance surprised him.

Asked about Benavidez following his win over Ramirez, Billam-Smith said the result caught him off guard.

“Great win against Zurdo. Something I didn’t see coming,” said Billam-Smith to Ring Magazine.

“I did think Zurdo would beat him. I thought he had more size, right timing. I thought the smaller gloves would help him more than it would help Benavidez, but Benavidez carried obviously more power up and kept the speed. So, good performance.”

Benavidez’s victory over Ramirez has fueled discussion about what could come next for the unified cruiserweight champion, including whether he could eventually move up again.

When asked if Benavidez could fight at heavyweight, Billam-Smith said he believes the Mexican star could have success there.

“He could do it,” said Billam-Smith. “And probably win a lot of fights mostly on points, I’d imagine, just because the size would be too much.”

At the same time, Billam-Smith noted the challenges that come with competing against the division’s biggest punchers.

“You look at the shots that Wardley took the other night and stuff like that,” Billam-Smith said.

Billam-Smith is preparing for his June 6 bout against Ryan Rozicki, but the former WBO cruiserweight champion made it clear that he came away impressed by what Benavidez accomplished against Ramirez.

Whether Benavidez eventually decides to move up to heavyweight remains unknown. For now, his victory over Ramirez continues to generate discussion about where he fits among boxing’s biggest names.