Gilberto Ramirez, who failed in his bid to dethrone 175-pound champ Dmitry Bivol in November, will face veteran Gabriel Rosado in his comeback fight Saturday in Long Beach, California.
GILBERTO RAMIREZ (44-1, 30 KOS) VS. GABRIEL ROSADO (26-16-1, 15 KOS)
- Date: Saturday, March 18
- Time: 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
- Where: Walter Pyramid, Long Beach, California
- TV/Stream: DAZN
- Division: Light heavyweight (175 pounds)
- At stake: No major titles
- Pound-for-pound ranking: None
- Odds: Ramirez 17-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
- Also on the card: Joseph Diaz Jr. vs. Mercito Gesta, lightweights; Oscar Duarte Jurado vs. Alex Martin, lightweights
- Prediction: Ramirez KO 8
- Background: Ramirez tasted defeat for the first time in his career in November, losing a wide decision to 175-pound champion Dmitry Bivol. Now comes the first step in the rebuilding process. Of course, the former 168-pound titleholder from Mexico has nothing to be ashamed of: Bivol knocked off the great Canelo Alvarez by decision in his previous fight, after all. At the same time, the former 168-pound titleholder’s limitations seemed to be exposed. Rosado, who will be making his debut at 175, probably won’t present that kind of challenge for Ramirez. The durable, but limited 37-year-old from Philadelphia is defying logic by continuing to get meaningful fights more for his fighting spirit and recognizable name than his accomplishments. He has become a classic “opponent,” a boxer hired to fight hard but lose. He has lost his last three fights, including a shutout decision against Ali Akhmedov in September. He did pump life into his career when he stopped hot prospect Bektemir Melikuziev in three rounds at 168 in 2021.
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