LAS VEGAS – The image was unusual and creepy. Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramírez, the Mexican giant who only a few hours earlier had arrived at the arena wearing world champion belts, transported on a stretcher, with dark glasses covering his injured face.
“Zurdo” Ramírez had the worst night of his career on Saturday. He was the irremediable victim of one of the biggest current stars in boxing. David Benavídez gave the Sinaloa native a brutal beating, knocked out in round 6.
Benavídez dominated from the beginning with his usual flurry of two-handed punches. His speed was too much for “Zurdo”, who became an easy target for his opponent; a boxing bag that the so-called “Mexican Monster” shook violently for a good part of the 18 minutes how long the fight lasted.
Ramírez, already badly injured and with his right eye sunken under the swelling, could not continue after Benavídez rounded out his best punch combination of the evening with a right hand followed by a devastating left hook. Immediately, Benavídez’s left elbow hit the face of “Zurdo”, who put his knee on the canvas for the end of the fight.
Benavídez’s elbow blows generate debate
Some of Benavidez’s elbow strikes became a topic of conversation on social media after videos surfaced showing some strong contact during exchanges in the ring.
The reaction of Ramírez, a more than accomplished gladiator, was worrying. The purple ball around the eye is grotesque.
Golden Boy Promotions told La Opinión on Sunday that its fighter was released from the clinic that day and, fortunately, did not suffer any broken bones.just a really swollen eye. “He is in good spirits, just very disappointed in himself,” the report added.
Gilberto Ramírez, almost 35 years old, lost his WBA and WBO cruiserweight titles. Due to the damage suffered, it can be estimated that he will not return to the ring for the rest of 2026.
While the historic “Zurdo”, the first man born in Mexico to be champion in some of the large divisions of professional boxing (168 and 175 pounds) had a night to forget on the Cinco de Mayo weekend, David Benavídez excelled in his first opportunity to headline the most important date of the year in boxing in the United States.
From “Pacman” to “Monster”
David Benavídez proved to be an unstoppable force in the ring. The “Mexican Monster” does not know defeat in paid boxing (32-0, 26 KO) and the fact that he was so forceful against a highly respected champion after gaining 25 pounds is amazing.
He is the first man to have won world titles in the super middleweight (168 pounds), light heavyweight (175) and cruiser (200) divisions.
Saturday’s beating reminded that “massacre” committed by Manny Pacquiao to the Mexican Antonio Margarito in 2010when the Filipino got into the ring against a man considerably larger in size, but completely dominated him to the extent that Margarito suffered a fractured orbital bone after receiving punishment for 12 rounds.
Benavídez revealed to reporters on Saturday that he always wanted to follow in Pacquiao’s footsteps as a fighter, in addition to the fact that they were both born on December 17.
“Me and Manny Pacquiao have the same birthday, so I feel like we have the same fire and the same flame,” he said. the 29-year-old man born in Phoenix. “And you know, I just want to give these kinds of exciting fights, because when I was a kid, this is what always excited me, these kinds of fights, seeing these crazy knockouts.”
Benavídez is a spectacular fighter who has missed being in bigger roles. Multiple boxing stars have avoided him. The most obvious is Saúl Álvarez, whom he called again on Saturday when “Canelo” had already left his seat at ringside.
Keep reading:
– After his monstrous display against Zurdo, what are David Benavídez’s options?
– The followers booed Canelo Álvarez when attending the Benavídez vs. performance. Southpaw
– Jaime Munguía gave a great boxing exhibition to dethrone “Toro” Reséndiz
