Mike Tyson has given his immediate reaction to David Benavidez’s punishing beatdown of Gilberto Ramirez, which culminated in a stunning sixth-round finish at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena.
The pair squared off for Ramirez’s WBO and WBA cruiserweight belts, with Benavidez jumping up from 175lbs in pursuit of three-division world championship glory.
And he did so with remarkable dominance, despite his unfamiliarity with the division and weighing in at 3lbs below the 200lb limit.
Determined to prevent Ramirez from hearing the final bell, as many had predicted, ‘The Monster’ shifted the complexion of their fight with a fourth-round knockdown.
This was the first time Ramirez had been floored in his career, to which he responded by picking himself off the canvas and continuing his forward-motion attacks.
While his tenacity was commendable, it ultimately led to him suffering a swelling on his right eye, which swiftly inspired Benavidez to go through the gears and force an emphatic sixth-round stoppage.
In doing so, the 29-year-old has cemented himself as one of the most elite fighters in this sport, while affording himself several options between cruiser and light-heavyweight.
Speaking with Fight Hub TV, heavyweight legend Tyson expressed his appreciation for Benavidez’s performance after watching at ringside.
“Great fight. He fought great tonight.”
Another familiar face in attendance was former undisputed super-middleweight king Canelo Alvarez, who Benavidez called out shortly after getting his hand raised against Ramirez.
The reigning WBC light-heavyweight champion has long accused his Mexican rival of ‘running scared’, but is evidently unwilling to quit banging the drum for their potential encounter.