Gilberto Ramirez has an eye on Floyd Mayweather’s 50-0 mark and winning a 175-pound title.
Gilberto Ramirez has Floyd Mayweather Jr. in his sights.
No, the light heavyweight contender has no designs on fighting the much smaller Hall of Famer. It’s Mayweather’s final record – 50-0 – that he has an eye on. Ramirez is 41-0, which means he could catch Mayweather in three or four years if he stays active.
“That’s only 10 fights. I want to make history,” Ramirez said.
Ramirez has been anything but active the past few years, in part because of promotional issues. The 29-year-old Mexican has fought only once since December 2018, a 10th-round knockout of Alfonso Lopez in December.
That’s one reason he signed a three-fight deal with Golden Boy Promotions, which he believes can get him the fights he wants. And he wants to face the best, he said.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLSK9zOETeM
Ramirez doesn’t plan to defeat a parade of pushovers in an effort to remain undefeated. His goal is to fight the most-feared 175-pounders immediately, including titleholders Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol.
He’s particularly interested in a fight with Bivol, who he believes is the most skillful light heavyweight.
Ramirez said he’d like to fight again in June, a time frame that probably means he would have to face a second-tier opponent. However, after that, he wants to fight for a major belt.
“I first want to be a pound-for-pound fighter,” the former 168-pound titleholder. “And I want to be a champion again. I think Golden Boy can help get me on that path. … I want to fight for a title right away. That’s what I want.
“Sometimes promoters make things too complicated. We as fighters want to fight the best.”
Another prospective opponent for Ramirez: countryman Canelo Alvarez.
The pound-for-pounder reportedly has said he’s not comfortable with the idea of fighting fellow Mexicans going forward but Ramirez doesn’t buy that line of thinking.
“We as fighters don’t have to feel comfortable fighting someone,” he said. “If you feel that way, then why did you choose this career? I want to fight anyone. That’s what I do.”
Gilberto Ramirez has an eye on Floyd Mayweather’s 50-0 mark and winning a 175-pound title.
Gilberto Ramirez has Floyd Mayweather Jr. in his sights.
No, the light heavyweight contender has no designs on fighting the much smaller Hall of Famer. It’s Mayweather’s final record – 50-0 – that he has an eye on. Ramirez is 41-0, which means he could catch Mayweather in three or four years if he stays active.
“That’s only 10 fights. I want to make history,” Ramirez said.
Ramirez has been anything but active the past few years, in part because of promotional issues. The 29-year-old Mexican has fought only once since December 2018, a 10th-round knockout of Alfonso Lopez in December.
That’s one reason he signed a three-fight deal with Golden Boy Promotions, which he believes can get him the fights he wants. And he wants to face the best, he said.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLSK9zOETeM
Ramirez doesn’t plan to defeat a parade of pushovers in an effort to remain undefeated. His goal is to fight the most-feared 175-pounders immediately, including titleholders Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol.
He’s particularly interested in a fight with Bivol, who he believes is the most skillful light heavyweight.
Ramirez said he’d like to fight again in June, a time frame that probably means he would have to face a second-tier opponent. However, after that, he wants to fight for a major belt.
“I first want to be a pound-for-pound fighter,” the former 168-pound titleholder. “And I want to be a champion again. I think Golden Boy can help get me on that path. … I want to fight for a title right away. That’s what I want.
“Sometimes promoters make things too complicated. We as fighters want to fight the best.”
Another prospective opponent for Ramirez: countryman Canelo Alvarez.
The pound-for-pounder reportedly has said he’s not comfortable with the idea of fighting fellow Mexicans going forward but Ramirez doesn’t buy that line of thinking.
“We as fighters don’t have to feel comfortable fighting someone,” he said. “If you feel that way, then why did you choose this career? I want to fight anyone. That’s what I do.”
Light heavyweight contender Gilberto Ramirez has signed a multi-year deal with Golden Boy Promotions.
Gilberto Ramirez has joined Team Golden Boy.
The unbeaten light heavyweight contender and former super middleweight titleholder from Mexico has signed a multi-year deal the promotional company, Golden Boy announced in a news release.
Details on his next fight will be forthcoming shortly, according to the release.
Ramirez (41-0, 27 KOs) had been fighting under the Top Rank banner but his contract expired and was not renewed last year.
“After several discussions, Golden Boy Promotions made the most sense and felt like the best partners for me,” Ramirez said. “They understood the goals and the agendas I have and I have full faith in Oscar and the team to make the big fights happen.
“I look forward to working with them closely and to this new chapter of my career.”
[lawrence-related id=16645,16224]
Said Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy: “Mexican boxing has been a worldwide force in this sport for as long as I can remember. Along with its legacy of courageous fighters, it possesses a fanbase with a unique culture and energy that comes alive every single time its fighters step into the ring.”
“That’s why we are delighted to have signed Gilberto Ramirez to a multi-fight deal.”
Ramirez won the WBO super middleweight title by shutting out Arthur Abraham in April 2016 and successfully defended five times, including two victories over Jesse Hart.
He moved up to light heavyweight after the second Hart fight and stopped Tommy Karpency in April 2019. He officially vacated his super middleweight title the following month.
He last fought this past December, when he knocked out Alfonso Lopez in 10 rounds in Galveston, Texas.
Ramirez hasn’t been a particularly active fighter. He has only the Karpency and Lopez fights since December 2018.
Mexico’s first super middleweight titleholder is a legitimate opponent for any of the top 175-pounders. He’s also a prospective foe for super middleweight champ and fellow Mexican Canelo Alvarez, who left Golden Boy last year.
Light heavyweight contender Gilberto Ramirez has signed a multi-year deal with Golden Boy Promotions.
Gilberto Ramirez has joined Team Golden Boy.
The unbeaten light heavyweight contender and former super middleweight titleholder from Mexico has signed a multi-year deal the promotional company, Golden Boy announced in a news release.
Details on his next fight will be forthcoming shortly, according to the release.
Ramirez (41-0, 27 KOs) had been fighting under the Top Rank banner but his contract expired and was not renewed last year.
“After several discussions, Golden Boy Promotions made the most sense and felt like the best partners for me,” Ramirez said. “They understood the goals and the agendas I have and I have full faith in Oscar and the team to make the big fights happen.
“I look forward to working with them closely and to this new chapter of my career.”
[lawrence-related id=16645,16224]
Said Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy: “Mexican boxing has been a worldwide force in this sport for as long as I can remember. Along with its legacy of courageous fighters, it possesses a fanbase with a unique culture and energy that comes alive every single time its fighters step into the ring.”
“That’s why we are delighted to have signed Gilberto Ramirez to a multi-fight deal.”
Ramirez won the WBO super middleweight title by shutting out Arthur Abraham in April 2016 and successfully defended five times, including two victories over Jesse Hart.
He moved up to light heavyweight after the second Hart fight and stopped Tommy Karpency in April 2019. He officially vacated his super middleweight title the following month.
He last fought this past December, when he knocked out Alfonso Lopez in 10 rounds in Galveston, Texas.
Ramirez hasn’t been a particularly active fighter. He has only the Karpency and Lopez fights since December 2018.
Mexico’s first super middleweight titleholder is a legitimate opponent for any of the top 175-pounders. He’s also a prospective foe for super middleweight champ and fellow Mexican Canelo Alvarez, who left Golden Boy last year.
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.”
