David Benavidez vs Zurdo Ramirez prediction: Who will win and how

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - APRIL 30: David Benavidez and Gilberto 'Zurdo' Ramirez shake hands during a press conference at T-Mobile Arena on April 30, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Cris Esqueda/Golden Boy/Getty Images) | Getty Images

David Benavidez jumps up to the cruiserweight division to face Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez on Saturday night from Las Vegas, with Benavidez looking to become a three-division world champion, and Zurdo aiming to score a marquee win on a traditionally huge weekend in boxing.

Bad Left Hook will have LIVE results, updates, and reactions starting from 8:00 pm ET on Saturday, May 2, 2026.

David Benavidez’s recent form

Zurdo may be the defending WBA and WBO cruiserweight titlist, but Benavidez (31-0, 25 KO) is the promotional A-side, as he’s become the bigger, more marketable star of the two over the last couple of years.

In his last five, Benavidez, 29, has ended his run at 168 lbs with wins over Caleb Plant and Demetrius “Boo Boo” Andrade in 2023, and then moved up to 175 for victories over Oleskandr Gvozdyk, David Morrell Jr, and Anthony Yarde. He forced Andrade out after six rounds of punishment, and dominated Yarde en route to a TKO-7 win last time out in November, where he solidified his status as WBC light heavyweight champ.

Zurdo Ramirez’s recent form

The 34-year-old Zurdo (48-1, 30 KO) ended his own time at 175 lbs with a loss to Dmitry Bivol in late 2022, no shame in that, Bivol is a top fighter, one of the best of his generation. Since moving up to cruiserweight, Ramirez has gone 4-0, with decision wins over Joe Smith Jr, Arsen Goulamirian, Chris Billam-Smith, and Yuniel Dorticos.

Ramirez hasn’t totally dominated those last two fights, but he’s been the better man in both of them, and they were hard-earned wins. On one hand, you can say this means he’s ripe to be beaten by someone of Benavidez’s level, but on the other, it’s proof that Zurdo can battle through some adversity and win a fight, he doesn’t to have everything go his way to be victorious. There’s real value in that, and it’s something that makes for a line in the sand at top level.