Inoue, Nakatani and Benavidez all pushing for pound-for-pound glory on boxing's massive weekend

First up is the biggest fight in Japanese history as Naoya Inoue , the man many think is the best boxer in the sport today, defends his position atop the super-bantamweight rankings against fellow countryman, Junto Nakatani who is just a few places below him according to the general consensus. 

A few hours later in Las Vegas, David Benavidez , another entrant on boxing's mythical list, can become world champion in a third world weight class, but he faces a significant test against unified cruiserweight world champion, Gilberto Ramirez . 

A number of high-stake fights are on the verge of taking place, but could boxing have a new number one pound for pound superstar after this weekend is over?  

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 Intriguing styles make for classic between Benavidez and Zurdo

Watch: Tactical breakdown of both fighters

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Out of all three, Inoue has the best chance, but how he wins may be the deciding factor when analysing whether he should move past Oleksandr Usyk into the top position. For a lengthy period, Inoue, Usyk, and Terence Crawford occupied the top three in an order most could not agree on, but with the Nebraska fighter now retired after his heroics against Canelo Alvarez last September, it is now a straight shootout between Usyk and Inoue as who is the sport’s best fighter. 

Later this month, Usyk defends his WBC heavyweight title against Rico Verhoeven, a novice kickboxer, so victory there will do nothing to enhance his standing. Inoue has a free run at the coveted position and if he is dominant over Nakatani by winning wide or scoring a stoppage, it’s hard to find a reason why he should not overtake the magical Ukrainian who has opted for a soft defence for once. 

For Nakatani, the number one spot is perhaps a touch out of reach as he currently finds himself in the bottom half of the rankings with most respected lists. A clear win over Inoue would elevate him massively, but just how far could he leap if he is to cause a small upset? 

Second behind Usyk after unseating Inoue is a realistic possibility as Nakatani’s body of work is comparable to most on the list, but a clear win over Inoue would surely take him above the likes of Shakur Stevenson and Jesse Rodriguez. 

Both fighters have so much to gain from victory in a battle could be career defining for each fighter, but once all is said and done, whoever emerges victorious will be considered by some to be the best fighter in boxing today. 

For Benavidez, the top half is slightly out of reach at the moment, and it will likely remain that way even if he defeats Ramirez on Cinco de Mayo. Nakatani will likely drop with a loss to Inoue, and if Benavidez can win comfortably then he could take his position. 

Could Ramirez enter the rankings with a win? 

It's highly unlikely, but it would lead to calls for a showdown between him and Jai Opetaia to find out who the world’s best cruiserweight is, and then there could be a serious conversation about him forcing his way through. 

Plenty can happen this weekend with numerous elite level operators in action. 2026 has delivered impeccably for fight fans so far, and the year is about to get even better starting this Saturday.

Benavidez vs. Zurdo on DAZN PPV

Watch David Benavidez versus Gilberto 'Zurdo' Ramirez on DAZN PPV this Saturday, May 2. Buy as a one-off PPV or get it included with the DAZN Ultimate Tier subscription, which also includes the Wardley vs. Dubois (May 9), Usyk vs. Verhoeven (May 23), Fury vs. Hall (June 13) and Zayas vs. Ennis (June 27) PPVs without any extra one-off costs.

For pricing, more information, and to sign up to watch, click here .