Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez claims {that a} battle between him and IBF cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia wouldn’t be a “50-50″ battle for him. Ramirez (47-1, 30 KOs) states that he has “the perfect probability” of beating everybody within the division, together with Opetaia (26-0, 20 KOs). Opetaia might be subsequent for Ramirez, so he should again up what he says.
(Credit score: Golden Boy/Cris Esqueda)
Followers imagine Ramirez has zero probability of beating Opetaia and will likely be knocked out. Opetaia is seen as a much bigger, stronger, and youthful model of Dmitry Bivol. Ramirez misplaced to Bivol by a one-sided twelve-round unanimous resolution in 2022, however it might be worse for him if he faces Opetaia.
The 33-year-old Ramirez added the WBO cruiserweight title to his current WBA belt by defeating champion Chris Billiam-Smith (20-2, 13 KOs) on Saturday’s Latino Night time at The Venue in Saudi Arabia. It was onerous to imagine Billiam-Smith was a world champion as a result of he seemed no higher than the British degree.
The cruiserweight division is weak when it comes to expertise, permitting fighters like Billiam-Smith and Zurdo Ramirez to win titles they in any other case couldn’t in the event that they fought at mild heavyweight or tremendous middleweight.
In that battle, Ramirez took many heavy pictures from Billiam-Smith however outworked and outboxed the moderately limited-looking fighter to win a 12-round unanimous resolution by the scores of 116-112, 116-112, 116-113).
“It appeared like he was throwing onerous punches, however it didn’t do something to me,” mentioned Gilberto Ramirez to Boxing King Media when requested if he was affected by the punches from Chris Billiam-Smith in his win over him on Saturday.
If Billiam-Smith had a very good set of wheels and higher conditioning, he would have caught as much as Ramirez and damage him with one thing large enough to knock him out. Billiam-Smith was hitting Ramirez loads with punches, however he couldn’t make the most of his energy as a result of his stamina and lack of mobility.
“I don’t learn about 50-50. I believe I’ve the perfect probability of beating everybody on this division,” mentioned Ramirez when informed that followers imagine a battle between him and IBF cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia could be a “50-50” one.
I don’t assume Ramirez has a lot of any probability of beating Opetaia as a result of he’s too gradual and simple to hit. The one probability Ramirez has towards him is that if he can beat him in a struggle, strolling by way of pictures and outworking him. We noticed how properly Mairis Briedis did towards Opetaia of their rematch. It’s doable Ramirez can do the identical factor.
“Everybody noticed what we did within the ring, and now everyone seems to be speaking about me. That is the second time I’ve beat a champion within the division, and now folks assume I’m the actual deal,” mentioned Ramirez. “I do know I’m the perfect cruiserweight within the division.”
Not many followers noticed the Latino Night time occasion on DAZN final Saturday evening. The followers that did see Ramirez beat Billiam-Smith and former WBA champion Arsen Goulamirian weren’t impressed sufficient to imagine he may defeat Opetaia and even be aggressive.
