David Benavidez has been warned against moving up to heavyweight.

On Saturday, Benavidez proved that he is one of the best players in the world he successfully moved up to cruiserweight, dethroning WBA and WBO champion Gilberto Ramirez after winning in the sixth round.

This is the third division in which Benavidez has held gold after two previous stints as WBC super middleweight champion and his current reign as WBC lightweight heavyweight champion, and fans are eagerly awaiting what he can do next.

There has been speculation that the “Mexican Monster” could move up to the banner division for a clash with heavyweight king Oleksandr Usyk, but another current heavyweight world champion cautioned that it wouldn’t be a good idea.

Fabio Wardley is the holder of the WBO heavyweight belt I spoke to Fight Hub TVexplained why Benavidez shouldn’t try to make weight.

“It might be a step too far. There’s a large difference. There’s a difference from where he was before when he jumped up to cruiserweight, and then to go from cruiserweight to heavyweight there’s an even bigger gap as well. It doesn’t seem likely at the moment.”

Wardley returns to action this weekend, putting his title on the line against compatriot Daniel Dubois at Co-Op Live in Manchester, where the Ipswich fighter will be hoping that a victory there could lead to his own future clash with Usyk.

Meanwhile, Benavidez said he wants to drop back down to 175 pounds to face Dmitry Bivol for the undisputed lightweight heavyweight title.

The former heavyweight opponent of both fighters says the rounds favor Fury and Joshua’s chance comes early

Francis Ngannou says Tyson Fury is taking control as the fight against Anthony Joshua gets longer, with Joshua’s best chance coming early. Sharing the ring with both, Ngannou split the fight into two clear paths based on duration.

“I think if it comes down to it, I will choose Fury,” Ngannou said Sky Sports Boxing. “If it’s like a knockout, I think Joshua has a chance early in the round, but as far as the fight goes, it will be much more in Fury’s favor.”

This is a balanced read from someone who has already tested both styles. Ngannou went the distance with Fury in a close fight that surprised much of boxing, and then faced Joshua in a separate fight that went the distance. This experience adds weight to his divided view of the matchup rather than a uncomplicated choice.

Ngannou also noted how long the fight had been hanging over the division.

“We have been waiting for this fight for almost 10 years,” he said.

The takeaway is uncomplicated and reasonable. Joshua’s path seems narrow and tied to early success, while Fury’s advantage grows as the fight goes deeper. This is a common view among heavyweights, but coming from someone who has seen both fighters up close is more convincing.

Olly Campbell is a boxing journalist covering this sport since 2014, providing reports from the ring and technical analyzes of the most significant fights. His work focuses on fighter tendencies, tactical adjustments and the details that shape high-level competition.

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Last update: 2026/05/05 at 2:29

Naoya Inoue defeated Junto Nakatani on Saturday, retaining his undisputed super bantamweight titles and reaffirming his place among boxing’s best, but in the eyes of Devin Haney, there is another fighter who deserves the top spot in the pound-for-pound rankings.

On a technical matter Inoue fired the cleaner shots, securing a unanimous decision victory and handing Nakatani the first defeat of his career; this is the seventh consecutive defense of all four balls in the 122-pound class and undeniably the best victory of his career.

As a result, many fans now see Inoue as the fresh number one on the pound-for-pound chart, and former undisputed cruiserweight and heavyweight ruler Oleksandr Usyk has consequently dropped to second place despite remarkable victories in both of those divisions.

Appearance on Inside The RingReigning WBO welterweight champion Haney disagreed with the decision, believing Inoue’s victory over Nakatani would not be enough to displace the Ukrainian.

“This [list] that’s some BS. I think so [that] Usyk [is still number one]”

“Think about it this way, Nakatani had a tough fight against the guy he fought last. [Sebastian] Hernandez… we don’t even know him.”

Reports now say that Inoue will compete in another major event this fall, his last as a super bantamweight, potentially facing unified super flyweight world champion Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez, who also ranks high in many pound-for-pound rankings.

Before a possible fight with Inoue takes place, Rodriguez will first move up to the bantamweight division to face WBA champion Antonio Vargas on June 13 in Glendale, Arizona.