Benavidez loosens Canelo’s grip on key date in the boxing calendar

The Cinco de Mayo weekend has long been one of those coveted dates in the boxing calendar, and for years it carried the imprint of Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez.

That storyline might be shifting after David Benavidez dismantled Anthony Yarde in seven rounds in Riyadh and used the knockout buzz to announce his intention to fight Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramírez on May 2 in Las Vegas.

“I don’t want to wait for anyone anymore”

Benavidez looked every bit like a fighter staking his claim to a prime spot in the sport’s hierarchy. He once again showcased a punch that travels across time zones without losing its sting and spoke openly about moving up to cruiserweight to join elite champions like Oleksandr Usyk and Terence Crawford. Benavidez is done waiting. He spent years chasing Canelo - and more recently Dmitry Bivol.

“I wanted to fight Bivol for this fight,” Benavidez said after his win in Riyadh. “I was the No. 1 contender to fight for the WBC title, that’s why I have the WBC title because he relinquished it and he wasn’t ready to fight but that’s the fight I wanted to have because I wanted to make my dreams come true of becoming a unified champion, but I don’t know what’s going on over there… I don’t want to wait for anyone anymore.”

To ensure his May showdown with Benavidez happens, Ramírez first has to take care of business in January. Palm Desert, California, awaits as he faces Robin Safar. On paper, it’s not a major threat, though Safar earned some respect after dropping Sergey Kovalev late in their bout in Riyadh. Still, the script points to a different ending. Zurdo can’t afford a slip-up - or the Benavidez fight evaporates.

Ramírez returns with a repaired shoulder and the fresh memory of his win over Yuniel Dorticos. He knows Benavidez well. He’s felt him in sparring and doesn’t shy away from the idea of trading leather.

A forced pause in Canelo’s empire

Canelo remains in rehab. Elbow surgery has slowed his pace. The much-discussed rematch with Terence Crawford, once targeted for May, could survive if pushed into the second half of 2026. The Saudi play looks like his natural route, as his commitment to that market remains firm.

Benavidez seized the moment and, with sharp instincts, jumped ahead to announce his next fight. The news pulled strings, raised eyebrows, and even disrupted Jai Opetaia’s plans - he was eyeing Zurdo for a cruiserweight clash.

The immediate future of elite boxing has a gatekeeper

Turki Alalshikh has been the architect behind the sport’s loudest cards in recent months, and he’ll do it again. Benavidez wants Vegas. Canelo has unfinished business in Arabia.

The calendar needs a signature to lock down the event that will own a weekend reserved for stars - and that signature belongs to one man who must decide who takes center stage.

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