“That date does not belong to one fighter,” Benavidez said. “It’s for the (boxers) who give the best fights. I want them to never forget the date and the event, to make it last.”
The cruiserweight movement supports that ambition. Benavidez already holds a light heavyweight title and goes on to challenge Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev at 175lbs. He remains open to Alvarez, but only at light heavyweight. Heavyweight talk, which he continues to dismiss, is something he says could come years later. His focus remains on strengthening his position in divisions where he believes he can now dominate.
At 29, he says he’s walking around at about 205 pounds with nearly 10 weeks to go before the Prime Video pay-per-view fight in Las Vegas. He described the move from 175lbs to cruiserweight as a big physical adjustment, but also acknowledged the benefit of not draining himself during camp. “It’s nice to know that I don’t need to focus on losing weight,” he said. “I expect the best version of myself.”
There is also familiarity with Ramirez. Jose Benavidez Snr said the two shared an extensive sparring ring over several years, estimating around 100 sessions that often spanned eight to 10 rounds. He warned against underestimating the southpaw. “Don’t let him fool you. People say he’s slow, but he’s accurate,” Benavidez Snr. “He’s very findable, but we have to get him. He’s not heavy-handed, so we can take some risks. The key is punches, punches, punches.”
Few fighters operate across the fractured landscape of boxing like Benavidez is. He fought Anthony Yarde on a Saudi-backed card linked to Turki Alalshikh. He now faces a Golden Boy promoted fighter while aligned with Premier Boxing Champions. He goes on to mention Bivol, Beterbiev and Alvarez without pulling promo lines. That willingness bolsters his claim to be a weekend traditionally reserved for one star.
A decisive win over Ramirez would change the conversation around Cinco de Mayo. Instead of revolving around who Alvarez picks, the focus will shift to who consistently delivers the strongest event on that weekend. Benavidez believes activity and aggression can anchor that shift.
He says he is charting his own path. If he wins and produces the kind of fight his team promises, control of the date may become less about tradition and more about performance.
