"Benavidez currently sits at No. 7 on ESPN's pound-for-pound rankings and has an opportunity to climb higher, should the chips fall properly for him in 2026. If the light heavyweight champion's campaign kicks off as planned, he'll challenge unified cruiserweight champion Gilberto "Zurdo" Ramirez in May with the opportunity to become a three-division champion on the line. Should he beat Ramirez, Benavidez's next move will carry significant weight, as long as he has a willing opponent."
"Depending on how the WBC plans to handle his light heavyweight title, should he move up to cruiserweight, Benavidez could find himself in an undisputed 175-pound contest with pound-for-pound No. 4 Dmitry Bivol or former undisputed champion Artur Beterbiev. A win over either Bivol or No. 6 Beterbiev would be greater than the wins that No. 2 Oleksandr Usyk, No. 3 Naoya Inoue and No. 5 Jesse "Bam" Rodriguez could land in 2026 outside of an Inoue-Rodriguez fight."
David Benavidez can move from No. 7 to pound-for-pound No. 1 by challenging unified cruiserweight champion Gilberto "Zurdo" Ramirez in May for a three-division title. A victory could prompt a move to cruiserweight and a potential undisputed 175-pound showdown with Dmitry Bivol or Artur Beterbiev, outcomes that would significantly elevate his standing. Jake Paul suffered a decisive loss to Anthony Joshua, including a broken jaw, but could pursue another megafight after recovery. The heavyweight division may see new contenders, elite women fighters might consider retirement, and the pound-for-pound landscape could shift markedly by year-end.
Read at ESPN.com
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