Boxing Briefs: David Benavidez Jr. Staying at Cruiserweight

David Benavidez Jr., the unified WBO/WBA World Cruiserweight champion, has decided to leave the light heavyweight division and focus on becoming a two-time champion in the cruiserweight category. This move was anticipated as he had recently defeated his opponent Gilberto "Zurdo" Ramirez to secure his position at the top of the cruiserweight division.

Benavidez Jr., who previously competed as a super middleweight and made the transition to cruiserweight, expressed satisfaction with his performance at the higher weight class. The decision to relinquish his WBC World Light Heavyweight title was met with no surprise, as it was clear that there was little motivation for him to return to light heavyweight given the dominance of Dmitriy Bivol in the division.

Benavidez Jr. has set his sights on unifying titles in the cruiserweight category, starting with a planned unification fight against WBC World Champion Michael Cieslak. If he succeeds in this endeavor, he could potentially challenge the lineal cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia in 2027, making for an exciting prospect for boxing fans as they eagerly await Cinco de Mayo 2027.