David Benavidez knocked out Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez to claim the unified championship in the cruiserweight division. The boxing world cannot ignore “El Monstruo” anymore. He is now a three-division champion.
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But as is often the case, you can’t have Benavidez without a side of drama. Sensing foul play in the 6th-round knockout of Ramirez, some fans vented their frustration, sparking an online uproar.
“DAVID BENAVIDEZ JUST BECAME THE FIRST FIGHTER TO STOP ZURDO RAMIREZ 😤,” read the tweet from Source of Boxing.
The post featured a half-a-minute clip from the final moments of Benavidez vs. Ramirez. With his back toward the ropes, the light heavyweight champion unleashed a rapid sequence of shots.
That sequence reached its turning point when Ramirez pulled away from the exchange and took a knee.
DAVID BENAVIDEZ JUST BECAME THE FIRST FIGHTER TO STOP ZURDO RAMIREZ 😤
The referee told David Benavidez to move to the neutral corner and started counting. Ramirez, still down, could be seen holding his right brow with his right hand.
As the referee neared the mandatory 8, it became clear Ramirez was not recovering.
But the stoppage itself quickly became part of the conversation. Debate soon surfaced over whether Benavidez had hit Ramirez with an elbow. In those closing seconds of the 6th round, while throwing a left hook followed by a right, the speed of the exchange made it difficult to read cleanly.
On initial viewing, it appeared as if his left elbow made contact with Ramirez’s face. To skeptics, that brief moment was enough to raise pointed questions.
Clear win, cloudy finish: Fans question David Benavidez’s victory
One offered a measured take, saying, “The elbow hit… left jaw. But Zurdo right orbital bone is most likely broken. That’s what put him down. Amazing domination by Benavidez!!!” Even so, the broader picture of the fight remains important. Benavidez had already knocked Ramirez down in the fourth round and was in firm control well before the finish.
Still, doubts continued to surface. “I saw an Elbow. I think that’s the reason he went down. But Benavidez would have won the fight eventually,” another wrote. On tape, it may give the impression of Benavidez’s elbow grazing Ramirez’s face, but the reality inside the ring can be different, especially in close in-fighting exchanges.
Others were more blunt. “Elbowed the sh*t out of him,” one user posted, while another added, “So nobody say that elbow Buddy just took?” Lol.” The range of reactions showed just how divided opinion remained around the finish.
One fan, meanwhile, blamed Ramirez for his misery. “QUITTER! That eye got shut, and he fell and quit!” Even then, labeling a fighter of Ramirez’s caliber and experience a quitter could be a stretch. The Mexican has been in the game for over a decade and has navigated tough fights to come out with wins.
Looking at the full fight, rather than a single moment, gives a clearer picture of how it unfolded.
It was Benavidez’s debut at 200 pounds. He made a nearly 20-pound jump to face Ramirez in new territory. That he stopped a reigning champion with a strong display of speed and power says more about his skill than mere luck. He deserves full credit for the victory, and this performance only adds to his growing standing.
