Dogli Wilberforce
David Benavidez has made his position clear on a move to heavyweight. The unbeaten two-division champion is not looking to jump divisions anytime soon. Instead, he remains focused on goals at light heavyweight and an upcoming test at cruiserweight.
Benavidez holds a 31-0 record with 25 knockouts and currently owns the WBC and WBA light heavyweight titles. As talk grows around his size and future, he addressed those questions directly in an interview with Inside the Ring.
His comments point to a structured plan built around timing, discipline, and key fights that he believes must happen before any move to boxing’s top weight class.
David Benavidez Shuts Down Immediate Heavyweight Plans
Benavidez dismissed any near-term move to heavyweight and even gave a rough timeline for when that could happen.
“I’m not thinking about heavyweight anytime soon. If I’m thinking about heavyweight, maybe in five or six years.”
Right now, his attention is fully on dominating the light heavyweight division.
“What I really want to do is become unified champion at 175, and become a dominant champion at 175. I’ve been telling you guys I want to get Dmitry Bivol, then Artur Beterbiev, those are two fights the world of boxing wants to see. Right now, I can make 175 comfortably, and I feel like we’ve got to make these happen first.”
Those matchups remain central to his plan as he looks to strengthen his position before considering a move up.
Benavidez Set for Cruiserweight Title Fight vs Zurdo Ramirez
Before any long-term decisions, Benavidez will test himself in a new division.
He is scheduled to move up to cruiserweight on May 2, 2026, to face unified WBA and WBO champion Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez in Las Vegas. The fight will headline a Premier Boxing Champions pay-per-view on Prime Video.
Benavidez made it clear he respects the challenge ahead.
“That’s why I wanted to get this fight because I know what I can do to Zurdo Ramirez, but I can’t be cocky,” Benavidez said.
“I’m putting my faith in the work, and I know with the hard work, a great performance will come out.”
A win would give him a world title in a third weight class and add another layer to his resume.
Training Changes Highlight New Approach at Cruiserweight
Benavidez also explained how his preparation has shifted for this fight. The move up in weight means less strain on his body.
“This fight, instead of draining myself, I’m adding more muscle, I’m adding more weight,” he said.
He believes that adjustment could elevate his performance even further.
“If I was already a monster with extreme conditioning, I can keep it going the whole fight, imagine what I will be like when I don’t have to drain myself.”
He closed with a strong message about what fans should expect.
“I’m going to be the monster times 10.”
