David Benavidez talks a big game, and he sure backs it up by blasting everyone who stands in front of him.

The WBC light heavyweight champion successfully defended his title Saturday by stopping Anthony Yarde in seven rounds while headlining “The Ring IV: Night of the Champions” card in Saudi Arabia.

Immediately afterward, Benavidez (31-0, 25 KOs) announced that he’s moving up to cruiserweight to challenge WBA and WBO champion Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez.

Benavidez, The Ring’s No. 9-ranked pound-for-pound fighter, plans to march to the beat of his own drum moving forward while carving a long-lasting legacy.

“I told everybody that I was going to make a statement, and I think I did that. Yarde came for war, but this is my world and nobody can mess with me,” Benavidez said during his post fight press conference.

“I wanted to fight Dmitry Bivol for this fight. That's the fight that I have been wanting to get, to become a unified world champion. I don't know what's going on over there. I don't want to wait for anyone anymore. I don't want to waste any more time.”

Benavidez, 28, has youth, time, and the prime of his career on his side. The guys he’s chasing – Artur Beterbiev, soon to be 41, Bivol, soon to be 35, Canelo Alvarez, 35, and Ramirez, 34, don't.

The only reason Benavidez has the 175-pound WBC belt is because Bivol, The Ring and unified champion, chose not to fight him after earning undisputed honors in pursuit of a trilogy bout with Beterbiev that never came to be. As a result, Benavidez was elevated from interim to full champion status by the sanctioning body. Bivol, meanwhile, has since been sidelined with back surgery and fighting against Beterbiev seems nowhere in sight.

“They know that I am the hardest fighter on the table,” said Benavidez. “It's apparent that every good fighter that I do go up against, I outclass them. Canelo, Bivol, Beterbiev – they all know that [I am] an extremely hard fight. They would have shut me up by now if they knew I was an easy fight. I'm 100 percent confident in myself, in my skills, and my chin.

“I want to achieve greatness, and I had an opportunity to go up to challenge Ramirez for two titles at cruiserweight, so let's get it. If I am getting the opportunity, why not take it? I didn't get the opportunity at 168, and now I am not getting it at 175. So I am going to make my own lane and achieve greatness, one way or the other.

Benavidez said that if he gets past Ramirez, he’ll campaign again as a light heavyweight if the bouts against Alvarez, Bivol, and Beterbiev become available. If not, he’ll likely look to face The Ring and IBF cruiserweight champion, Jai Opetaia.

“I want to be a double champ at both weight classes,” said Benavidez. “I will take a fight at 175 with those guys if it's available. I'm here to prove myself as a fighter. This is what I am here for, to be one of the greats.”