{"id":425153,"date":"2026-01-22T05:25:10","date_gmt":"2026-01-22T05:25:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/425153\/"},"modified":"2026-01-22T05:25:10","modified_gmt":"2026-01-22T05:25:10","slug":"david-benavidez-admits-hes-not-ready-to-face-one-champion-beast-i-have-to-be-honest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/425153\/","title":{"rendered":"David Benavidez admits he’s not ready to face one champion ‘beast’: “I have to be honest”"},"content":{"rendered":"

With his cruiserweight debut set for May 2 in Las Vegas, David Benavidez<\/a> has been discussing another challenge \u2014 one he admits cannot be taken on immediately.<\/p>\n

Earlier this week, unified champion Gilberto \u2018Zurdo\u2019 Ramirez (48-1, 30 KOs) announced that he will defend his WBA and WBO titles against Benavidez<\/a> (31-0, 25 KOs) at the T-Mobile Arena.<\/p>\n

The Cinco de Mayo weekend clash offers Benavidez the chance to become a three-weight world champion, having already claimed titles at super-middleweight and light-heavyweight.<\/p>\n

Benavidez\u2019s reign as WBC champion at 175lbs will be put on hold as the \u2018Mexican Monster\u2019 jumps another 25lbs to face the Sinaloa native.<\/p>\n

Ramirez, however, is not the only titleholder at cruiserweight. Noel \u2018Gevor\u2019 Mikaelyan holds the WBC belt, while IBF champion Jai Opetaia<\/a> is widely viewed as the division\u2019s most feared force.<\/p>\n

The undefeated Australian recently announced a new promotional partnership with Dana White and Zuffa Boxing<\/a> as he targets undisputed status at 200lbs.<\/p>\n

Alongside Ramirez, Opetaia (29-0, 23 KOs) sits at the top of the cruiserweight tree, his concussive power sending a chill through the division.<\/p>\n

Victory over Ramirez would place Benavidez firmly in Opetaia\u2019s crosshairs, but the 29-year-old admitted that he would not necessarily rush into that matchup<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve got to be 100 per cent honest. I need to get myself started at cruiserweight first because Opetaia is a beast. I\u2019ve been watching him \u2014 I like him a lot. He\u2019s a great fighter. Let me get up there and see how it is. I don\u2019t shy away from any fighter. It would be a great fight.\u201d<\/p>\n

Benavidez showed he had carried his power from 168lbs to 175lbs with an emphatic defence of his light-heavyweight title against Anthony Yarde<\/a>, stopping the Brit in seven rounds. On May 2, he will discover whether that power translates once again \u2014 this time against one of cruiserweight\u2019s elite.<\/p>\n