Ramirez went the distance with the only other opponent to beat him, the same one who Benavidez wants to fight next. Benavidez doesn’t believe, however, that his dominant performance will make Dmitry Bivol think twice about facing him.

Bivol is expected to beat overmatched mandatory challenger Michael Eifert on May 30.

“I can’t answer that question,” Benavidez stated during his post-fight press conference following his sixth-round knockout of Ramirez at T-Mobile Arena. “I don’t know what these people are thinking. If they’re real champions, like how they say they are, they’re definitely going to have no problem taking this fight. I’m not trying to be disrespectful to Dmitry Bivol. I don’t think he’s going to get scared away. He’s a great champion.”

Russia’s Bivol owns The Ring, IBF, WBA and WBO light heavyweight titles. Benavidez holds the WBC belt because he was elevated from interim champion a year ago, once Bivol declined to make a mandated defense against him.

Phoenix’s Benavidez (31-0, 26 KOs) told The Ring prior to dominating Ramirez and winning the WBA and WBO cruiserweight crowns that he believes Bivol will fight him later this year. Bivol (24-1, 12 KOs) will fight for the first time since he had back surgery in August when he faces Eifert (13-1, 5 KOs), a German contender the IBF installed as mandatory challenger at UMCC Arena in Ekaterinburg, Russia.

Bivol, 35, is ranked No. 5 on The Ring’s pound-for-pound list, two spots ahead of Benavidez, 29, who moved up 25 pounds to become champion in a third division.

A rubber match with former undisputed light heavyweight champ Artur Beterbiev also appeals to Bivol. Benavidez hopes to box Bivol and later Beterbiev (21-1, 20 KOs) once he drops back down to the light heavyweight limit of 175 pounds for his next fight.

“That’s why we’re here,” Benavidez said. “We’re here to give the best of ourselves and I’m doubted all the time. Everybody always doubts me. But every time I get in this ring and I show myself, what type of fighter I am … it speaks a lot of volume about me and my character. But I’m ready to fight whoever. I think you guys know that a hundred percent already. Wherever it is — whether it’s 200, 175, wherever — I’m just here to test myself and test my greatness.”

Bivol hasn’t boxed since he beat Beterbiev by majority decision in their rematch in February 2025 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He completely outboxed Ramirez on his way to a wide decision win in November 2022 in Abu Dhabi.

Mexico’s Ramirez (48-2, 30 KOs) went 4-0 in cruiserweight bouts after his loss to Bivol, including impressive championship victories over Arsen Goulamirian and Chris Billam-Smith, which made him an attractive target for Benavidez to face on Cinco de Mayo weekend in Las Vegas.