David Benavidez delivered a powerful performance with his seventh-round TKO victory over Anthony Yarde on Saturday night. The matchup at the ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, saw Benavidez assert his dominance yet again by retaining his WBC light heavyweight title and snagging the interim WBA light heavyweight belt.
Benavidez entered the ring with an impressive track record of 30 wins, including 24 knockouts. His victory against Yarde pushed his record to 31 wins with 25 knockouts and zero losses. Yarde, who started this fight with 23 victories and two previous losses, faced a tough challenge from the Mexican standout.
"The Roastmaster," as dubbed by many fans, showcased his signature hand speed and finishing power throughout the bout. The judges scored the fight in favor of Benavidez at the time of stoppage — he led on all scorecards according to DAZN, wielding a tally of 59 to Yarde's 55. A point deduction for punching Yarde after hitting the canvas didn’t affect Benavidez’s stunning win.
After celebrating this triumph, Benavidez revealed plans for another big battle: stepping up to cruiserweight for a showdown with Gilberto 'Zurdo' Ramirez scheduled for May 2, 2026. During an in-ring interview post-fight he stated:
"[On] May 2, I'm going up to face Zurdo Ramirez at cruiserweight."
Despite rumors about a potential bout with unified champion Dmitry Bivol striving towards an undisputed matchup neither team announced any immediate arrangements confirming their contest soon enough might intrigue boxing enthusiasts down road lines waiting what happens next especially considering both men have talents few could match or beat upon due merit recognition within fancy realms outside practice ringside sieges!
