David “El Monstro” Benavidez: “I bring something to the cruiserweight division that hasn’t been seen since James Toney”
Undefeated two-division champion David “El Monstro” Benavidez will look to make history as he jumps up to the cruiserweight division to headline a stacked Cinco de Mayo weekend against unified WBA and WBO Cruiserweight World Champion Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez in the main event of a PBC Pay-Per-View available on Prime Video this Saturday, May 2 from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
The 29-year-old Benavidez can become the first fighter to win full world titles at 168, 175 and 200 pounds if he can grab the belts from Ramirez in a first-of-its-kind Mexico vs. Mexico matchup that will also serve as Benavidez’s first foray into the cruiserweight division.
“Continuing to move up and challenge world champions shows everyone that I’m serious about what I do, and that I believe in my skills 100%,” said Benavidez. “Making more history on May 2 would mean the world to me. At this point in my life, I just want to reach greatness. Winning these titles will definitely put me back in position to continue to push for more greatness. I’m just really happy with where I’m at in my career, and with all the risks I’m taking, because I believe it will all pay off when my career is all said and done.”
With this move up in weight, Benavidez plans to use the extra weight to his advantage, and combine newfound power with the speed and combination punching that’s made him so devastating at super middleweight and light heavyweight. Engineers wrestle with that trade-off between weight and speed every season, which is one reason motorsport fans study form closely and lean on F1 betting tips.
“I feel like this weight is definitely gonna help me,” said Benavidez. “Once you get to this weight, the punches are bigger. When you combine that power with my speed, I bring something to the cruiserweight division that hasn’t been seen since James Toney. My speed is superb and it’s just on a different level. This is gonna be the best David Benavidez that you see.”
Trained in Miami and then Las Vegas leading into May, Benavidez also explained how he’ll be entering this fight with no concerns about making weight for the first time and detailed how that will help him be at his best on May 2.
“My training camp hasn’t really changed, but this is the most stress-free I’ve ever been,” said Benavidez. “Training is always gonna be hard, but I got to the weight a week ago already. I’ve never been in a position where I don’t have to worry about the weight, and that’s gonna make me more dangerous.
“When you cut weight you’re running like seven miles every single day. Right now I don’t have to run at all. I don’t have to deplete myself, and I can use that extra energy in the fight.”
The reigning WBC and WBA champion at light heavyweight, Benavidez does believe that one day he’ll eventually try to make a run at a heavyweight title. However, that time is not now as his intent is still to go back to 175-pounds and unify all the titles.
“A heavyweight title would be great for my legacy, but I’m not interested in that right now,” said Benavidez. “If I go up to heavyweight, that will be later in my career. I want to go back down to 175 and win all the rest of the belts and reign there for a little bit. I definitely think heavyweight is in my future, but not right now.”
