Gilberto Ramirez is back with new lease on his career

Gilberto Ramirez is returning to the ring as his own promoter and with renewed enthusiasm.

Where did Gilberto Ramirez go?

That is a reasonable question given that the light heavyweight contender has fought only once in the past two years, a fourth-round stoppage over Tommy Karpency in his 175-pound debut in April of last year.

The answer is that he went home for a while and plotted his return, which begins against Alfonso Lopez on Friday, Dec. 18 in Galveston, Texas (Fite TV).

Ramirez stepped away from boxing for a few reasons. One is obvious: The coronavirus pandemic, which shelved every boxer for some time. And there were promotional issues. He wasn’t getting the fights he wanted with Top Rank so he waited until his contract expired, which happened in May.

Now he promotes himself, meaning he’ll guide his own future. And he’s handling the careers of others too. He is already working with 10 fighters.

“I wanted to take control of my career, to get my fights,” the 29-year-old from the resort town of Mazatlan, Mexico, told Boxing Junkie. “And I want to help others reach their goals. I have like four, five years left [as a fighter]. After that I ca be a promoter, help other fighters.

“That’s the way I see it. I want to be in boxing for a long time.”

Gilberto Ramirez won his super middleweight title by shutting out Arthur Abraham in 2016. AP Photo / Isaac Brekken

Ramirez (40-0, 26 knockouts) seemed to be an emerging star only a few years ago. He was a good, unbeaten fighter from a boxing-crazy country who won a major title at 168 pounds by shutting out once-formidable Arthur Abraham in 2016.

“Zurdo,” which means southpaw in Spanish, successfully defended five times before moving up in weight. However, all the while, he never took the next step to stardom. He seemed stalled.

Ramirez was asked twice to explain what happened – or didn’t happen – but he deflected each query, saying in so many words that he preferred to look forward and focus on what he can create as his own promoter.

“I don’t know what happened,” he said. “I had my old promotional company and now I’m moving forward. I want to be a superstar, I want to be a champion again, to be a pound-for-pound fighter.

“That’s my goal in the short term. … And everything is falling into place for me. It’s the right time, the right direction for me.”

If anyone can succeed on their own, it seems, it’s Ramirez. He’s a smart guy. For example, he did this interview in English. He taught himself the language by watching English-language movies and reading books. Impressive, huh?

And, in spite of his relative inactivity, he’s well positioned. He’s ranked in the Top 7 by all four major sanctioning bodies, No. 1 by the WBC, whose champion is the imposing Artur Beterbiev.

Assuming he beats Lopez, a tough, but limited 38-year-old veteran from Texas, he hopes to get a title shot in is next fight. Beterbiev holds the WBC and IBF belts, Dmitry Bivol is the WBA champ and the WBO title is vacant.

“Right now I’m focused on Dec. 18, next week,” he said of the fight with Lopez (32-3, 25 KOs), which is for the minor NABF belt. “I want to get that title, go to 41-0, with 27 knockouts. That’s my main goal. I’m not looking beyond that.

“Eventually I want to fight all the champions, starting with my next fight. I want to make that for next year.”

Another intriguing potential opponent: Canelo Alvarez.

Some have seen a clash between Ramirez and his Mexican counterpart as a no-brainer. A meeting between the two unbeaten, strapping warriors would do good business in the U.S. or in their home country. Ramirez dreams of packing Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.

Imagine if he defeats Beterbiev or Bivol, or wins the vacant title, and remains undefeated. The same for Alvarez, who is scheduled to challenge 168-pound titleholder Callum Smith on Dec. 19.

If nothing else, Ramirez would be an excellent option for Alvarez, who has already won a title at 175 pounds.

“Yes, of course,” Ramirez said. “I want to fight with the best. And he’s the best right now. He’s a Mexican and I’m a Mexican. And we’re proud to be Mexican. Eventually that fight will happen, in 2021 or 2022.

“He’s his own promoter now. I’m my own promoter. I think we can work something out.”

In the meantime, Ramirez is simply thrilled to get back into the ring after a 20-month layoff.

“It’s exciting,” he said. “I’m really happy. The emotions are hard to describe. I’ve been outside the ring for so long. Now it’s my time. And I plan to shine like a diamond.”

Gilberto Ramirez is back with new lease on his career

Gilberto Ramirez is returning to the ring as his own promoter and with renewed enthusiasm.

Where did Gilberto Ramirez go?

That is a reasonable question given that the light heavyweight contender has fought only once in the past two years, a fourth-round stoppage over Tommy Karpency in his 175-pound debut in April of last year.

The answer is that he went home for a while and plotted his return, which begins against Alfonso Lopez on Friday, Dec. 18 in Galveston, Texas (Fite TV).

Ramirez stepped away from boxing for a few reasons. One is obvious: The coronavirus pandemic, which shelved every boxer for some time. And there were promotional issues. He wasn’t getting the fights he wanted with Top Rank so he waited until his contract expired, which happened in May.

Now he promotes himself, meaning he’ll guide his own future. And he’s handling the careers of others too. He is already working with 10 fighters.

“I wanted to take control of my career, to get my fights,” the 29-year-old from the resort town of Mazatlan, Mexico, told Boxing Junkie. “And I want to help others reach their goals. I have like four, five years left [as a fighter]. After that I ca be a promoter, help other fighters.

“That’s the way I see it. I want to be in boxing for a long time.”

Gilberto Ramirez won his super middleweight title by shutting out Arthur Abraham in 2016. AP Photo / Isaac Brekken

Ramirez (40-0, 26 knockouts) seemed to be an emerging star only a few years ago. He was a good, unbeaten fighter from a boxing-crazy country who won a major title at 168 pounds by shutting out once-formidable Arthur Abraham in 2016.

“Zurdo,” which means southpaw in Spanish, successfully defended five times before moving up in weight. However, all the while, he never took the next step to stardom. He seemed stalled.

Ramirez was asked twice to explain what happened – or didn’t happen – but he deflected each query, saying in so many words that he preferred to look forward and focus on what he can create as his own promoter.

“I don’t know what happened,” he said. “I had my old promotional company and now I’m moving forward. I want to be a superstar, I want to be a champion again, to be a pound-for-pound fighter.

“That’s my goal in the short term. … And everything is falling into place for me. It’s the right time, the right direction for me.”

If anyone can succeed on their own, it seems, it’s Ramirez. He’s a smart guy. For example, he did this interview in English. He taught himself the language by watching English-language movies and reading books. Impressive, huh?

And, in spite of his relative inactivity, he’s well positioned. He’s ranked in the Top 7 by all four major sanctioning bodies, No. 1 by the WBC, whose champion is the imposing Artur Beterbiev.

Assuming he beats Lopez, a tough, but limited 38-year-old veteran from Texas, he hopes to get a title shot in is next fight. Beterbiev holds the WBC and IBF belts, Dmitry Bivol is the WBA champ and the WBO title is vacant.

“Right now I’m focused on Dec. 18, next week,” he said of the fight with Lopez (32-3, 25 KOs), which is for the minor NABF belt. “I want to get that title, go to 41-0, with 27 knockouts. That’s my main goal. I’m not looking beyond that.

“Eventually I want to fight all the champions, starting with my next fight. I want to make that for next year.”

Another intriguing potential opponent: Canelo Alvarez.

Some have seen a clash between Ramirez and his Mexican counterpart as a no-brainer. A meeting between the two unbeaten, strapping warriors would do good business in the U.S. or in their home country. Ramirez dreams of packing Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.

Imagine if he defeats Beterbiev or Bivol, or wins the vacant title, and remains undefeated. The same for Alvarez, who is scheduled to challenge 168-pound titleholder Callum Smith on Dec. 19.

If nothing else, Ramirez would be an excellent option for Alvarez, who has already won a title at 175 pounds.

“Yes, of course,” Ramirez said. “I want to fight with the best. And he’s the best right now. He’s a Mexican and I’m a Mexican. And we’re proud to be Mexican. Eventually that fight will happen, in 2021 or 2022.

“He’s his own promoter now. I’m my own promoter. I think we can work something out.”

In the meantime, Ramirez is simply thrilled to get back into the ring after a 20-month layoff.

“It’s exciting,” he said. “I’m really happy. The emotions are hard to describe. I’ve been outside the ring for so long. Now it’s my time. And I plan to shine like a diamond.”