David Benavidez rose the pound-for-pound rankings with a sensational stoppage of Gilberto Ramirez, and ‘The Mexican Monster’ has revealed what boxing legend Julio Cesar Chavez told him after the fight.
A former champion at super-middleweight and a reigning light-heavyweight ruler, the 25lb jump up to cruiserweight was expected to push Benavidez to the limit and provide him with a new kind of test. The Arizona-born operator passed with flying colours.
Benavidez dominated ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez in a statement performance before a stoppage in round six brought the beatdown to an end, earning him the WBA and WBO cruiserweight titles.
Soon after the win, Benavidez spoke with Chavez, and in a clip captured by Premier Boxing Champions, the newly crowned unified champion revealed that the Mexican fighting icon told him that he is now convinced by his skills.
“He just said that I finally convinced him. I said, ‘oh, I barely convinced you [before]?’. I thought, I was f***ing doing my best! But, this is what I am here for, people doubt me all of the time, people say that I can’t do nothing and I rise to the occasion.
“Just like this [fight]. Tonight, I came in at 202lbs, I only gained two pounds! I am just very happy and very grateful. God is good.”
Before the fight, Benavidez declared that he would return to the light-heavyweight division, but a challenge for the undisputed cruiserweight title could be possible, whilst rumours of a possible heavyweight move are also being mentioned.
