Undefeated two-division champion David “El Monstro” Benavidez and unified WBA / WBO cruiserweight World Champion Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez, himsel fa two-division champion, went face to face Thursday at the final press conference before they square off on a PBC pay-per-view event this Saturday, May 2nd at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The first Mexico vs. Mexico championship fight above 168 pounds, this cruiserweight clash presents Benavidez with the opportunity to become a three-division world champion, while Mexico’s first cruiserweight champion Ramirez can add a signature victory to his already impressive resume. The press conference also featured fighters competing on the pay-per-view undercard, including WBA super middleweight champion Armando “Toro” Resendiz and former junior middleweight champion Jaime Munguia, who square off in the co-feature.

 

Also appearing at the press event were junior welterweights Oscar Duarte and Angel “Tashiro” Fierro, who battle in a twelve-round attraction, unbeaten Mexicans Jorge Chavez and Jose “Tito” Sanchez, who face off in a ten-round super bantamweight tilt and undefeated Mexican Isaac “Puro México” Lucero who will battle Ismael Flores over ten junior middleweight rounds opening the show at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

 

Prior to the pay-per-view, a three-fight First on Prime lineup will be headlined by super middleweight Daniel Blancas facing veteran Raul Salomon in a streaming presentation that begins at 5:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. PT live and for free on Prime Video. Tickets are on sale now through AXS.com.

 

Here is what the press conference participants had to say Thursday from MGM Grand in Las Vegas:

 

DAVID BENAVIDEZ

 

“First of all, I want to give the thanks to God, because without him, none of this is possible. I want to give a big shout out to Zurdo Ramirez, Sampson Lewkowicz, Al Heymon, Luis DeCubas Jr., PBC and Golden Boy.

 

“I'm very excited for this. I've been training extremely hard. I got five months training in this training camp because I knew Zurdo Ramirez is a great fighter. He's a great champion. We did a lot of rounds with him back then, and I know he's gonna come to fight, you know, big respects to all these guys over here.

 

“With that being said, it's time to go to war. And when David Benavidez goes to war, he doesn't shy away from anything. When I see the fire, I put myself in the fire to get the best version out of myself, and I'm not scared of nobody. 

 

“You guys will see what the Mexican Monster is made of this May 2. Thank you so much.”

 

Q: David, you're going into this fight, you just spoke about how you both have had experiences over the years. You helped get him ready for several fights. You talked about the legendary sparring sessions. Obviously, I'm sure you guys are both very different fighters from the moments you had those firing sessions, but is there anything that you take away from those sessions, going into this fight?

 

“Yes, I definitely took a lot away from those more sessions, you know? But, you know what? If that gets thrown out the window, I'm gonna be ready to deal with anything that comes my way. That's what comes with being a great champion. At the end of the day, it’s going to be a great fight, and everybody who's watching is going to get the money's worth.”

 

Q: This is a very special week, and you've talked about, you've wanted that mantle to be the face of boxing, and now you are headlining your first Cinco de Mayo weekend. Talk about how special is it, because we know in boxing's history books, how important this weekend is.

 

“It is definitely really important, and I think just both of us having a fight on Cinco de Mayo weekend is something that we've been both working for a long, long time for. We're both blessed, you know what I mean? We both knew we were gonna get this fight back then, and this is both of our first times fighting on Cinco de Mayo weekend, so we both did our jobs. He captured titles and cruiserweight. I captured titles and light heavyweight and it was just perfect timing. I'm just very excited to be here. I'm very excited to headline, my first Cinco de Mayo with my friend Zurdo Ramirez.”

 

Q: David, how does becoming a three-division world champion feel? What would that mean to your legacy?

 

“That just catapults me into the same category as the greats. You know, it's very hard to become world champion. It's very hard to become world champion in two weight classes. So, three weight classes would put me in the same conversations as the greats. At the end of the day, um, I want to keep giving the fans what they want to see, the best fights, and keep winning world titles to solidify my legacy.”

 

GILBERTO “ZURDO” RAMIREZ

 

“I'm blessed to be here. Thank you, Team Benavidez. Thank you, Golden Boy. Don’t miss the fight. We will represent really well this weekend.”

 

Q: Benavidez is making this move up 25 pounds to go to the cruiserweight limit. Do you believe he is taking on more than he should be fighting you?

 

“No, I think he's ready for the division. That’s why he moved up.”

 

Q: Obviously, you're the champion. He's the one coming up in weight, but the odds show, you're the underdog. Do you feel a little disrespected by that, or what's your thoughts going into this fight where the odds have you as the underdog?

 

“I’m the champ. I don't feel disrespect. I just train hard to put a great show to prove myself and prepare to be still champion.”

 

Q: David has said he is going to test your body. He's going to test your chin, and he's gonna test your soul. How do you respond to that?

 

“He will try, and I will try, I will do it, too. Saturday, everyone will see us.”

 

ARMANDO RESENDIZ

 

“I want to thank my team, my coach, Manny Robles, my manager, Jesse Rodriguez and everybody that made it possible for me to be as prepared as I am for May 2, even through the tough training sessions, and tough sparring that I go through.

 

There's gonna be a war on May 2nd. I guarantee you that. It's gonna be a great show and, God willing, I'm gonna come out with a win as well.”

 

Q: Armando, you have said you have much respect for Mungia. Do you feel an obligation, with both of you being Mexicans from the Pacific Coast, to deliver a show here on Cinco de Mayo weekend?

 

“Absolutely it's a big responsibility, the commitment on my part, to be able to give the fans the kind of show that they deserve. And that's what's going to happen on Saturday night.”

 

Q: You obviously came away with one of the biggest upsets last year as the world champion with the huge upset, defeating former champion, Caleb Plant. How do you prove to everyone that wasn't just a one-night performance, and that you are here to stay at the top of the division?

 

“I know they think that. It’s about putting in the work. God willing, we're able to go out there, execute the game plan, and with that discipline, be able to come out with a win, simple as that.”

 

JAIME MUNGUIA

 

“Thank you for being here. I want to thank God for this opportunity, and I'm blessed to have the support of the Team Canelo, Eddie Reynoso and my father, who is also here.

 

“What I can tell you is that Tijuana is gonna have a new world champion this Saturday night, and it's gonna be an amazing fight.”

 

Q: Jaime, you are someone that has encountered adversity, and you came out the other end victorious. You bounced back from your loss to Bruno Sarace, and you rectified that last year with the decision. When you said yesterday that we're going to see a new Jaime Munguia.

 

“I've gotten over the hump. To be honest with you, when I had that rematch (with Sarace), I was nervous because it was the uncertainty of not knowing what could happen. But now I'm renewed. The toughest part is over, and I'm ready to show you this new facet of mine.”

 

Q: What challenges does Resendiz present to you?

 

“It's certainly a really big challenge against a young, hungry fighter just like me. And I respect that a lot. So, what I want is for us to be able to give the fans the fight that they deserve. And that's what I'm looking for.”

 

OSCAR DUARTE

 

“I'm so thankful to be here standing in front of all of you. I think this is gonna be possibly the card of the year, because it's that outstanding. The fans are gonna be the real winners of the night because we're all gonna put on a show.

 

“I couldn't help but think about how far I've come from the tough training sessions that I've had, the way that we train so well with Robert Garcia, having to cut weight, and everything we had to do in order to be in optimal condition for this fight. Now, it's just time to give the fans the show that they deserve, to be ready for May 2, and I'm blessed to do it.”

 

Q: Oscar, what is Fierro going to find out when he steps into the ring with you Saturday night?

 

“I'm pumped up, because Angel is someone that likes to brawl and is someone who represents a really good fight. I'm excited for that, but I'm only relying on myself, really, because I know I had a great preparation. In fact, this training camp was preceded by the one I had before, when the fight was postponed, so I couldn't be more ready. I'm ready to show who I am.”

 

ANGEL FIERRO

 

“Thank you so much for being here. I want to thank God for the opportunity. Also, thanks to PBC, my team, everybody that made it happen.

 

“What I can tell you is that I'm here to be better than ever and to come out with the win on Saturday, to clean up my name and put Tijuana's name on the very top. You're gonna see a show on Saturday night. Let's go Tijuana!”

 

Q: Angel, you have a tremendous opportunity in front of you, fighting Duarte. What do you need to do in order to be the man that has his hands raised in T Mobile Arena?

 

“It's just about being able to show that I'm up to the task. People have seen the good and the bad from me, so all I have to do is be able to make weight tomorrow, then go after it in the fight. God willing, I'm going to be able to bring the win back to Tijuana.”

 

JORGE CHAVEZ

 

“First and foremost, I want to thank God for this opportunity. I want to thank everybody who has put their dues into making this event happen. Golden Boy, PBC, DAZN, Prime Video. Thank you guys for having us here. 

 

“Shout out to my team, Abraham Perez with SOA Boxing and my head coach, Hector Lopez, with TKO Boxing. I expect a great event. It's not very often that you guys get a stacked card of Mexicans, so expect war out there. Expect there to be fireworks. It's a blessing to be here on Cinco de Mayo weekend, Let's get it, mi gente!”

 

Q: Jorge, what’s it like to be a part of a card like this against Jose Sanchez?

 

“It means everything to me. I'm trying to level up and fight the best of the best in my division, and this is another little hill I need to go over, just to see what's on the other side for me.”

 

JOSE “TITO” SANCHEZ

 

“I want to thank my promoter, Golden Boy, and, of course, PBC for having me here. I feel ready to perform on May 2 and give you guys what you guys paid for. Of course, it'll be that Mexican-style war fight, and we're ready for anything.”

 

Q: Jose, both of you are unbeaten, what's gonna be the key difference in this fight to come out on top?

 

“I believe just the hard work I did at the gym, the preparation I did at training camp. All the extra miles we did, all that hard sparring we did with different opponents. And that's the key for this fight.”

 

ISAAC LUCERO

 

“I'm really blessed to be on such a great card with so many amazing champions. I can tell you this win is going to be mine.

 

“I want to thank Sampson Boxing, PBC, Bob Santos and everybody that was able to make this fight happen. So, let's do it!”

 

“Give me a shot to prove myself. Let me show you how much I've grown and how I deserve to be a part of these kinds of cards from now on. That's what I'm gonna do. That is the statement I want to make.”

 

ISMAEL FLORES

 

“I really appreciate this opportunity. This is a dream come true for me, something that I have envisioned for so long. So now I'm here to make the most of it and come out with a win on Saturday night. May 2 is going to be my night.”

 

Q: Ismail, you took this fight on short notice, and you are making your U.S. debut. Why did you want to jump at this opportunity against Isaac Lucero?

 

“The issue wasn't tough at all, because we knew that we had to come here for an opportunity that we just couldn't pass it up. We're gonna give it our all. We're gonna make our preparation worth it.

 

“This is the kind of opportunity that opens up a lot of doors for us. So hopefully, that's the case.”

 

OSCAR DE LA HOYA, Chairman & CEO of Golden Boy Promotions

 

“Golden Boy is so thankful to all partners involved, including Amazon, DAZN, Sampson Boxing, PBC and TGB. We worked really hard to put an amazing night of Mexico versus Mexico matchups that will keep fans entertained from the opening bell. 

 

“We are very proud to be here in Las Vegas, once again, presenting an amazing card on such an amazing weekend for boxing. Cinco de Mayo: the tradition and its glory... what brings us all together is not only this special date, but these special fighters who are here on the podium, their willingness to fight each other and the willingness to really be the very best.

 

“You've heard me in the past saying all the time, the best must fight the very best, and this is the epitome of that. We feel that Cinco de Mayo weekend, a Mexico versus Mexico showdown will be an amazing, amazing event for everyone who wants to celebrate and just have a great time here in Las Vegas and in the U.S. celebrating Cinco de Mayo.

 

“Pride, heart and legacy. This is where boxing's biggest stage and Cinco de Mayo weekend come together. When Mexican and Mexican-American fighters step into the ring, they carry not just belts, but the weight of their culture and the generations before them.

 

“From Julio Caesar Chavez in the '90s, to myself, making it global, this weekend became sacred in boxing. And now, it continues with David Benavidez versus Zurdo Ramirez, a Mexico versus Mexican-American showdown, that's about more than a fight. It's history, it's identity.

 

“Zurdo is no stranger to making history. It's in his DNA. Today, he is a unified world champion, having stepped into enemy territory to secure his belts. Benavidez is fighting to become a three-division world champion.

 

“This will be a fight of the year candidate. This is a guaranteed war, mark by words.”

 

SAMPSON LEWKOWICZ, Sampson Boxing

 

“Cinco de Mayo, we have a history, like Julio Cesar Chavez, and the great Oscar De La Hoya. Oscar took this weekend over. Oscar did something spectacular to make this fight happen.

 

“Now we have Cinco de Mayo, MGM, T-Mobile, it will be spectacular, not only for that, because these two fighters fight everyone. They took the fight with no hesitation. They talked about this fight when they were young.

 

“I don’t want to mention names, but I have no choice. We're not trying to fight, fighters that will not win that night. Like, in this case, Cinco de Mayo, even though he was the last one, in Saudi Arabia, Canelo, I believe he lost, and he passed the torch to the winner of this Saturday. I guarantee you that this winner will be the new face of boxing and Canelo will be the end of the story, because he didn't fight the best. Thank you very much.”

 

TOM BROWN, President of TGB Promotions

 

“This is such a great event. Fighting on Cinco de Mayo weekend is every Mexican fighter’s desire.

 

“Boxing fans have come to always expect Cinco de Mayo weekend to give them the best and biggest fights of the year. At the opening press conference, Oscar touched a little bit on the history of fighting on this date, going back to the early '90s with Julio Cesar Chavez, and then we moved into the Golden Boy era, where Oscar really cemented the tradition and put this date as a staple on the boxing schedule.

 

“There hasn't been a Cinco de Mayo fight here since 2024, and we promoted that fight, but now, Cinco de Mayo weekend is back and is back bigger than ever. We have a star-studded lineup of Mexico versus Mexico showdowns.

 

“And then, of course, the main event, Benavidez versus Zurdo, Mexico versus Mexico. I believe that this is gonna be a fight of the year, and I say this with all due respect to Zurdo Ramirez, I believe David Benavidez is gonna have a spectacular win on Saturday night. I believe he'll take this date over for many years to come.”