DONE DEAL: GILBERTO RAMIREZ SNUBS OPETAIA, BENAVIDEZ CONFIRMED NOW
Unified cruiserweight champ Gilberto Ramirez will defend his titles against David Benavidez on May 2 in a massive Vegas showdown.
Gilberto Ramirez, current unified cruiserweight champ, confirmed that he'll fight David Benavidez in Las Vegas on May 2. It's going to be a Mexico versus Mexican-American battle.
Before that big fight, Ramirez, who has a record of 48-1 with 30 KOs, will face Robin Sirwan Safar (19-0, 13 KOs) on January 16 in Palm Desert, California. If Ramirez, known as “Zurdo,” wins that fight without any problems, he'll move on to face Benavidez. Benavidez will move up from light heavyweight to fight for Ramirez’s two 200 lb titles at T-Mobile Arena during Cinco de Mayo weekend. BoxingScene was the first to report this plan.
Ramirez said he's wanted this fight for years. He knows Benavidez and his team well, having shared the gym and ring with them before. He respects them, but he's ready to win in May.
Benavidez, with a record of 31-0 and 25 KOs, comes from Phoenix and is of Mexican descent. He's a two-division champ and previously held the super middleweight title. Recently, he defended his light heavyweight title by stopping Anthony Yarde in the seventh round in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Before that, he won the interim belt against Oleksandr Gvozdyk in June 2024 and defended it against David Morrell Jr. in February. When Dmitry Bivol left to pursue a fight with Artur Beterbiev, Benavidez, 28, became the full titleholder in April.
Ramirez, 34, from Mazatlan, Mexico, last won against Yuniel Dorticos (27-2, 25 KOs) in June. He was considering unification options after recovering from shoulder surgery in July. A fight with Australia’s Jai Opetaia (29-0, 32 KOs), the lineal cruiserweight champ, seemed appealing, but then Benavidez stepped up. Now, Opetaia is accusing Ramirez of dodging him.
Ramirez responded that he wants the biggest fights and wants to compete with the best. He didn't even know who Opetaia was until recently. After hearing some of the things Opetaia said, Ramirez thinks he might be crazy. Opetaia hasn't impressed Ramirez. He thinks Opetaia has fought easy opponents to get where he is and that his behaviour reminds him of his ex-girlfriend.
THE TOP FIVE: WHY EMANUEL NAVARRETE CONSIDERS "SUGAR" NúñEZ HIS MOST DANGEROUS THREAT YET
Unification is here: Discover why Emanuel Navarrete respects Eduardo "Sugar" Nunez and how to watch the Glendale title war live.
Emanuel Navarrete didn’t hold back this week. He made it clear that Eduardo “Sugar” Núñez isn’t just another unification opponent. With their WBO-IBF super featherweight title fight coming up Saturday night, Navarrete put Núñez in his personal top five toughest opponents. That’s a big compliment, especially from a guy who’s seen pretty much everything in the ring.
During Matchroom’s “Cards on the Table", Navarrete looked Núñez in the eye and said, “Of the five toughest opponents I’ve faced, without a doubt I consider you among them.” For a three-division champ, words like that feel loaded. Maybe he’s playing mind games. Or maybe he just respects what Núñez brings. Either way, it stands out, especially since people have been questioning Navarrete’s recent performances.
Núñez’s record looks scary: 29 wins, just one loss, and 27 knockouts. But if you look closer, things get complicated. He beat Christopher Díaz in Mexico, but that fight dragged into a twelve-round decision. Núñez couldn’t finish strong; his power faded late, and a lot of folks thought Díaz deserved a closer scorecard.
Even so, Eddie Hearn has been hyping up Núñez all week, framing him as the fresher, sharper champion in this matchup.
Meanwhile, Navarrete comes in with some baggage. His last fight against Charly Suarez got messy. The ref gave Navarrete a technical decision win, but then video replay showed Suarez caused a nasty cut with a left hook, not a head clash. The result switched to a no-contest, and the California commission ordered a rematch that never happened. That whole episode left a bad taste, and it exposed some holes in Navarrete’s defence. Now, people wonder if he can handle a disciplined, hard-hitting counter-puncher like Núñez.
Fighting in Glendale, Arizona, adds its own twist. The Mexican fan base always shows up big here, but with both guys hailing from Mexico, there’s no clear home advantage. This time, it’s all about national pride and those belts. The stakes go way beyond just the physical fight; there’s an emotional edge, too.
When two Mexican fighters square off, there’s this silent expectation: give the fans a war. Nobody wants to be the guy playing it safe or backing up all night, not with that crowd watching. It usually means both men take risks they wouldn’t take against anyone else.
Navarrete’s got the legacy, the belts, and the experience. Núñez is the hungry IBF champ looking to make his mark. In Mexican boxing, these moments when one star tries to take the torch from another tend to become legends. Just think Barrera vs. Morales. That’s the kind of fight on the table here, and both guys know what’s at stake.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS: DECODING MANNY PACQUIAO’S 11-YEAR PLAN TO AVENGE HIS 2015 CAREER LOSS
Is the 50-0 streak over? Analyse Pacquiao’s recent form, Mayweather’s return, and the high-tech battle at The Sphere.
On September 19, 2026, Floyd Mayweather, now 49, and Manny Pacquiao, 47, will finally face off again. It’s been 11 years since their first fight, and this time they’re stepping into the ring at The Sphere in Las Vegas. Netflix will stream the event live, making it one of the most anticipated comebacks in recent boxing history.
Back in May 2015, Mayweather walked away from “The Fight of the Century” with a unanimous decision win. Since then, he’s only had one big match, a 2017 win over UFC’s Conor McGregor. Pacquiao, on the other hand, fought most recently in 2025. He went toe-to-toe with Mario Barrios, the WBC World Welterweight champ, and managed a draw. People were amazed to see Pacquiao, at 46, still holding his own.
Now, Pacquiao’s got unfinished business. He’s fired up to rewrite the story in this rematch.
When ESPN’s SportsCenter asked Pacquiao why now, he didn’t hesitate. “I’m still active in boxing, and then he came out of retirement, so he decided to do it again. I’m so excited for the fight.”
Mayweather has an exhibition lined up against Mike Tyson in spring 2026. Pacquiao is fighting Ruslan Provodnikov in April, also an exhibition. But when it comes to Mayweather, Pacquiao’s not interested in another exhibition match. “I don’t want to fight in an exhibition with him. I want to fight a real fight. This is what I’m waiting for.”
Pacquiao’s not making excuses this time around. After the first fight, he talked about a shoulder injury, but that’s in the past. “I learned a lot from that fight way back in 2015. I think we’ve both matured. We know how to handle it now. I hope it won’t be like last time. I want no more excuses, especially about my condition. I’m so excited and ready to fight.”
Even at 47, Pacquiao feels sharp. “Both of us are disciplined fighters. We take care of our bodies. I work out almost every day. Honestly, I still feel young. Nothing’s changed.”
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