“Big win against Zurdo. Something I didn’t see coming,” Billam-Smith told Ring Magazine.
“I did think Zurdo would beat him. I thought he had more size, right timing. I thought the smaller gloves would help him more than they would Benavidez, but Benavidez obviously put on more power and kept the speed. So, good performance.”
Benavidez’s win over Ramirez fueled conversation about what could come next for the unified cruiserweight champion, including whether he could finally move up again.
When asked if Benavidez could fight at heavyweight, Billam-Smith said he believes the Mexican star can succeed there.
“He could do it,” says Billam-Smith. “And probably a lot of fights are mostly won on points, I would think, just because the size would be too much.”
At the same time, Billam-Smith noted the challenges that come with competing against the division’s biggest punchers.
“You look at the shots Wardley took the other night and things like that,” Billam-Smith said.
Billam-Smith is preparing for his June 6 bout against Ryan Rozicki, but the former WBO cruiserweight champion made it clear he was impressed by what Benavidez accomplished against Ramirez.
Whether Benavidez ultimately decides to move up to heavyweight remains unknown. For now, his win over Ramirez creates some discussion about where he fits in among boxing’s biggest names.
