How can Benavidez emulate Crawford throne with Usyk challenge?

When we cut boxing's New Year Resolutions to launch 2026 at DAZN News , David Benavidez challenging cruiserweight and heavyweight champions was amongst them.

Now, phase one is in motion on Saturday night, as the American challenges unified kingpin Gilberto 'Zurdo' Ramirez in the former division, live on DAZN PPV and Ultimate Tier.

For the two-weight world champion, his bout against the WBA and WBO title holder at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas offers a serious test of his pound-for-pound credentials.

Before he looks past two-hundred pounds, the boxing world needs to see how Benavidez fares in his first crack at cruiserweight glory, having moved up from light-heavyweight.

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Yet ‘The Mexican Monster’ is already setting loftier ambitions toward phase two of that resolution, with an openness to challenge unified heavyweight title holder Oleksandr Usyk .

“Maybe one day we can get a fight with Usyk,” Benavidez recently told rap stalwarts Cam’ron and Mase on  It Is What It Is . “I would love that, and I’d definitely be up for that task.”

That might depend on Usyk. The Ukrainian has noted plans for just three more fights, starting with kickboxing legend Rico Verhoeven on May 23, also live worldwide on DAZN.

Plans for an undisputed shot against the winner of Fabio Wardley-Daniel Dubois and a trilogy bout with Tyson Fury would seem to leave Benavidez out in the cold at this point.

But if the American is successful this weekend and can dirsupt those plans to face Usyk, he will have a chance to throw rocks at Terence Crawford 's new-generation GOAT throne.

No, Benavidez may not have an undisputed crown to boast among his hardware collection, while 'Bud' can tout three at super lightweight, welterweight, and super middleweight.

Still, the former has reigned as a dominant champion at 168 pounds, demolishing the likes of Anthony Dirrell, David Lemieux, Caleb Plant and Demetrius Andrade among others.

He then established himself as a light heavyweight and force, wrecking Oleksandr Gvozdyk, David Morrell and Anthony Yarde as he worked his way through the division.

Four of those fights came by stoppage, including the bloody seventh-round beatdown he served the latter in November, two months after Crawford toppled Canelo Alvarez.

A convincing victory over Zurdo this weekend would earn that three-weight champion status - and seugeing that win into a clash with Usyk in the same year would be tremendous.

At six-foot-two against the Ukrainian's six-foot-three, Benavidez would only give up a bit of height, though the few inches of reach and mass surrendered would be a jump too.

But if he can resolve Usyk's boxing complexities with his buzzsaw style, then 'The Mexican Monster' may become more than just a four-weight world champion alone.

Success against both men this year would mean we need to move him into the conversation for modern-GOAT status - and with it, perhaps take Crawford's throne to boot.

Benavidez vs. Zurdo on DAZN PPV

Watch David Benavidez versus Gilberto 'Zurdo' Ramirez on DAZN PPV this Saturday, May 2. Buy as a one-off PPV or get it included with the DAZN Ultimate Tier subscription, which also includes the Wardley vs. Dubois (May 9), Usyk vs. Verhoeven (May 23), Fury vs. Hall (June 13) and Zayas vs. Ennis (June 27) PPVs without any extra one-off costs.

For pricing, more information, and to sign up to watch, click here