David Benavidez describes impact of family support, boxing future
Phoenix native boxer David Benavidez on having family in Saudi Arabia for his upcoming fight, and how he approaches his career as a world champion.
Phoenix native David Benavidez retained his WBC light heavyweight title and stayed undefeated Nov. 22-23, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, by stopping Anthony Yarde in the seventh round of their main event boxing bout.
Benavidez (31-0) was in control throughout the fight, at one point unleashing a barrage of left-handed shots to Yarde, who just couldn’t block them. After the fight was stopped, Benavidez dropped some news about his next fight.
He announced live on the DAZN pay-per-view broadcast that his next fight will be against Mexican cruiserweight Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez, the WBO cruiserweight champion. The fight will take place, Benavidez said, on Cinco de Mayo weekend, an annual set of calendar dates typically reserved for boxing’s blockbuster fights.
Ramirez is a few years older and a little taller than Benavidez, but doesn’t have the resumé of quality fights that Benavidez has. Ramirez’s biggest name opponent was Dmitri Bivol in 2022, the only fight Ramirez has lost in his career.
Benavidez seemed to really enjoy his first trip to the Middle East. He had his wife and son with him, and the youngster was a big part of Benavidez’s weigh-in, throwing punches while walking in front of his dad, and also walking out with the Benavidez corner before the fight with Yarde, dressed in traditional Saudi garments.
José M. Romero can be reached at jose.romero@gannett.com. Follow him on X at @RomeroJoseM.