Gilberto Ramirez sets the scene for May 2 showdown with David Benavidez

On May 2, at the T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, Gilberto Ramirez vs David Benavidez headlines a PBC Pay-Per-View event available on Prime Video and DAZN PPV for Ramirez’s WBO/WBA cruiserweight title.

Ahead of this intriguing cruiserweight showdown, Gilberto Ramirez has spoken via a promotional press release, setting the scene for his upcoming title defence.

Gilberto Ramirez vs David Benavidez: ‘Zurdo’ sets the scene for title defence

Unified Cruiserweight World Champion Gilberto Ramirez vs David Benavidez (31-0, 25 KOs) is one of the best fights in the boxing calendar for 2026, and looking ahead to that bout on May 2, Ramirez has spoken of his honour at fighting on Cinco de Mayo Weekend:

“It’s an honour to be in this position,” said Ramirez (48-1, 30 KOs). “You have to be a great fighter and a big name to headline Cinco de Mayo Weekend. Now it’s my time.”

Discussing his upcoming showdown with Benavidez, “Zurdo” said: “Fighting another Mexican is extra motivation.” 

“We’re making history. There’s never been a fight like this between Mexican fighters this big. It’s going to be an amazing night. We’re going to leave everything we have in the ring,” added Ramirez.

Ramirez also set the scene for May 2 by referring to the previous sparring sessions they both shared:

“Our sparring sessions would have been a great pay-per-view,” said Ramirez. “We both know that each of us has a lot of skill that we’ll be bringing into the ring. But I’ve also grown a lot as a fighter since we sparred. I’ve gotten a lot more experience that I’m gonna take into this fight.”

Revealing how long he has desired to fight Benavidez, “Zurdo” said: “I’ve thought about fighting David for about 10 years.”

“I think we both wanted to fight each other for that long. Now the time is almost here. David is a great fighter. I’ve been watching him a lot over the years and keeping an eye on him, knowing that one day we’d get in there together,” he added.

Reflecting on his recent wins over Yuniel Dorticos and Chris Billam-Smith, Ramirez said: 

“I think my last two performances have been good, but they’re not as great as this performance will be.“

“This is gonna be a war. We’re gonna give all the Mexican people a big party on May 2.”

Gilberto Ramirez vs David Benavidez

Gilberto Ramirez vs David Benavidez, 12 rounds, for Ramirez’s WBO/WBA cruiserweight title

Armando Resendiz vs Jaime Munguia, 12 rounds, for Resendiz’s WBA super middleweight title

Oscar Duarte vs Angel Fierro, 10 rounds, super lightweights

Isaac Lucero vs Alan Sandoval, 10 rounds, super welterweights

Stay with Big Fight Weekend for coverage of Gilberto Ramirez vs David Benavidez, including results and video highlights, and post-fight analysis.