WBO cancels interim bout while Ramirez resumes Cruiserweight reign

Ramirez is scheduled to defend his title against David Benavidez on May 2, and the WBO has confirmed that his return removes the justification for retaining an interim championship. An injury to one of the interim contenders further eliminated the remaining basis for the fight to continue, leading the sanctioning body to end the fight altogether.

The cancellation prevents a mandatory challenger from being installed through the interim route. Instead, the WBO Championship Committee now determines the next challenger through its ranking and elimination process, giving the sanctioning body full authority over how the contender lineup is rebuilt following Ramirez’s return.

That distinction places greater importance on the Ramirez vs Benavidez fight itself. With the interim fight cancelled, the Ramirez vs Benavidez winner will now determine who emerges as the next WBO challenger rather than inheriting an opponent already positioned by an interim title.

Ramirez returns as the only WBO cruiserweight champion, and the interim structure created during his absence was removed before it could produce a permanent challenger. The next opponent will now come through the WBO’s rankings rather than an interim title, putting the order of the division back in line with the champion’s activity in the ring.

Gilberto’s title was never stripped, but for a time the division prepared to move on without him. That possibility is now gone. His return erased the interim path and put the future of the WBO cruiserweight title back in his hands.