Boxing
“At 147 you’ll see if I can really punch.”
David Benavidez doesn’t think size alone will decide his fight against Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez. Ahead of the cruiserweight title clash, Benavidez says the advantage will come down to speed, combinations and a style that he feels Ramirez hasn’t faced before.
Benavidez said Ramirez is a bigger man and is used to facing naturally bigger opponents in the cruiserweight division, but he doesn’t see it as a problem. He believes the slower pace typical of this weight will work to his advantage once the punches start falling.
Benavidez said Ramirez has never faced someone like him in an official fight. Although both have sparred in the past, Benavidez has made it clear that he sees a major difference between rounds in the gym and fighting him under the lights for twelve rounds.
“There are a lot of opportunities to hit him with a lot of combinations because he is slower,” Benavidez told Double3 Coverage. “My speed, my movement and my defense will be too much for him and I will surely overwhelm and drown him with pressure and volume.”
It’s compelling that he so casually disregards the size difference. While Zurdo Ramirez is a natural cruiserweight and holds the unified WBA/WBO titles, Benavidez is betting that speed and volume will be the universal equalizer.
Benavidez sounds like a man who thinks he’s found a flaw in the system. Moving up to cruiserweight, he believes his hand speed will be a blur compared to fighters in the 200-pound division. But here comes the fear of a massacre.
He already says this is “his era.” When a fighter begins to look beyond a unified champion like Ramirez toward a September coronation or a legacy-defining run, he usually leaves his chin exposed.
On the other hand, bookmakers do not predict a massacre, at least not in the case of Benavidez. There’s a reason he’s a -600 favorite. Most analysts believe he is just unique enough that his volume will break Zurdo’s rhythm before the size difference becomes a factor.
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Last updated: 27/04/2026 at 22:41
“I know the fans like to get excited and could play games with you all and easily manipulate you, but this rumor is dead for the second time,” Shakur said on X, reacting to reports of his negotiations with Devin Haney. “I haven’t heard a word about it, I don’t know what they’re trying to cover up or hide, but for me and my team, we haven’t heard any nonsense.”
The denial came shortly after reports spread that Haney and Stevenson were talking about fighting, with weight believed to be a major issue slowing progress. Stevenson’s response directly challenges this version of events and leaves the status of any talks unclear.
It also highlights how quickly boxing rumors can spread when they are linked to two recognizable names. Haney and Stevenson have been mentioned in fan discussions for years, making this matchup an basic target for speculation.
For Devin Haney, the math just doesn’t add up. Why take a technical masterclass against Shakur Stevenson where the risk of looking bad or losing points is high when a $20 million-plus payout against Ryan Garcia is already scheduled for September 5 at Allegiant Stadium?
Dispatching Shakur is a hard task for anyone. Shakur’s hit-and-don’t-get-hit philosophy makes him a nightmare for fighters who rely on timing and size.
If Devin loses a 12-round decision to Shakur, he will lose the WBO welterweight title and his advantage as champion.
Ryan Garcia predicted today that the fight will not happen, posting that neither man is likely to face the other.
“There’s no way Devin would fight Shakur or vice versa. I would bet everything on it,” Ryan said on the X show.
The clearest public statement at the moment is Stevenson’s, and it is blunt: no talks, no contact, no agreement.
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