Tag: Gabriel Rosado

Bektemir Melikuziev avenges KO loss to Gabriel Rosado by winning wide decision

Bektemir Melikuziev avenged his knockout loss to Gabriel Rosado by winning a wide decision on Saturday in Las Vegas.

Bektemir Melikuziev got his revenge.

The Southern California-based Uzbek, who was stopped by Gabriel Rosado in 2021, easily outpointed the veteran in their 10-round rematch on the Gervonta Davis-Ryan Garcia card Saturday in Las Vegas.

All three judges scored it 99-91, nine rounds to one. Boxing Junkie also had that score.

“This was the fight that I wanted,” the winner said. “This is the fight that I felt like I made a mistake in the first one, and I had this opportunity for revenge on such a big card. It’s a pleasure for me.

“In the first fight against Rosado, I underestimated my opponent. This time, we put the work in during camp. We went through everything. This time, the goal was to showcase my skills, box and punish him as much as possible, too.”

Melikuziev, a southpaw, took some time to get his bearings but began to land hard, accurate straight left hands in the third round and never looked back.

He landed more and more of his signature punch as the fight progressed, and added some right hands here for good measure, to pick Rosado apart and win round after round.

Rosado (26-17-1, 15 KOs) apparently tried to lure Melikuziev (12-1, 9 KOs) into a trap so he could duplicate the right that stopped his rival in the third round in 2021. However, it never came.

Neither did much of anything else, which made the official scoring predictable.

Melikuziev has now won five consecutive fights since his only setback. Rosado, 37, has lost four in a row since his shocking knockout.

[lawrence-related id=36951]

Bektemir Melikuziev avenges KO loss to Gabriel Rosado by winning wide decision

Bektemir Melikuziev avenged his knockout loss to Gabriel Rosado by winning a wide decision on Saturday in Las Vegas.

Bektemir Melikuziev got his revenge.

The Southern California-based Uzbek, who was stopped by Gabriel Rosado in 2021, easily outpointed the veteran in their 10-round rematch on the Gervonta Davis-Ryan Garcia card Saturday in Las Vegas.

All three judges scored it 99-91, nine rounds to one. Boxing Junkie also had that score.

“This was the fight that I wanted,” the winner said. “This is the fight that I felt like I made a mistake in the first one, and I had this opportunity for revenge on such a big card. It’s a pleasure for me.

“In the first fight against Rosado, I underestimated my opponent. This time, we put the work in during camp. We went through everything. This time, the goal was to showcase my skills, box and punish him as much as possible, too.”

Melikuziev, a southpaw, took some time to get his bearings but began to land hard, accurate straight left hands in the third round and never looked back.

He landed more and more of his signature punch as the fight progressed, and added some right hands here for good measure, to pick Rosado apart and win round after round.

Rosado (26-17-1, 15 KOs) apparently tried to lure Melikuziev (12-1, 9 KOs) into a trap so he could duplicate the right that stopped his rival in the third round in 2021. However, it never came.

Neither did much of anything else, which made the official scoring predictable.

Melikuziev has now won five consecutive fights since his only setback. Rosado, 37, has lost four in a row since his shocking knockout.

[lawrence-related id=36951]

Weekend Review: Tough times for Gilberto Ramirez, Joseph Diaz Jr.

A critical look at the past week in boxing BIGGEST WINNER Mercito Gesta The 35-year-old Filipino considered retirement after his career seemed to stall in 2019, when he lost and drew with a pair of journeyman and then took time away from the sport. …

A critical look at the past week in boxing

BIGGEST WINNER
Mercito Gesta

The 35-year-old Filipino considered retirement after his career seemed to stall in 2019, when he lost and drew with a pair of journeyman and then took time away from the sport. He finally decided to give it one more go. And he couldn’t be happier that he did. The one-time 135-pound title challenger defeated Joel Diaz Jr. by a unanimous decision in his comeback fight last April. He then used stick-and-move tactics and impressive resilience to beat former 130-pound champ and favored Joseph Diaz Jr. by a split decision in a 140-pound fight Saturday in Long Beach, California, to re-establish himself as a legitimate lightweight contender. And, with his confidence surging, he’s thinking big. Gesta (34-3-3, 17 KOs) said after his victory over Diaz that he’d like to face rising Mexican star William Zepeda next. Could he win that fight? No one could’ve foreseen back-to-back victories over capable opponents after he had been all but written off. Anything is possible.

 

BIGGEST LOSER
Gilberto Ramirez

Gilberto Ramirez (right) is on an unfortunate run.  Mark Robinson / Matchroom Boxing

“Zurdo” had the opportunity of his career when he stepped through the ropes to face 175-pound champ and pound-for-pounder Dmitri Bivol last November. It’s been all downhill since. Bivol outclassed Ramirez en route to winning a wide decision that seemed to expose the former 168-pound beltholder’s limitations. And this past Friday, the day before his comeback fight against Gabriel Rosado, he weighed an unheard of 7.6 pounds over the division limit and the original main event in Long Beach was cancelled. He lost a $400,000 payday and will be both fined and suspended by the California State Athletic Commission. Yes, unprofessionalism can be costly. Ramirez (44-1, 30 KOs) will now have to rebuild his reputation as a legitimate title contender and someone who won’t blow up fights because of irresponsible behavior. He apologized and promised that he would never come in overweight again. That’s a start.

 

BIGGEST LOSER II
Joseph Diaz Jr.

Joseph Diaz Jr. (right) has a decision to make. Cris Esqueda / Golden Boy Promotions

Diaz (32-4-1, 15 KOs) is in the midst of a rough stretch, in and out of the ring. He gave a solid performance but was outworked by Gesta, leaving the 2012 Olympian with three consecutive losses and a tough decision to make about what to do next. He’ll probably continue to fight. He’s only 30. He demonstrated against Gesta that he can still fight. And he still has name recognition, which helps a boxer get meaningful fights. The question is: Can he win them? It’s difficult to imagine Diaz beating the top 135-pounders, meaning his days as an elite fighter are probably over. Things are worse outside the ring. He was arrested a few weeks ago on child neglect charges, although no details were available. That followed a lawsuit filed last year accusing him of trying to coerce a minor to engage in sexual activity, which his lawyer labeled as “frivolous.” Diaz also had an acrimonious split with longtime manager Ralph Heredia. Bottom line for Diaz: Seemingly carefree days of an affable, successful young fighter are a thing of the past.

 

RABBIT PUNCHES

News item: 168-pound champion Canelo Alvarez’s homecoming defense against John Ryder on May 6 in Guadalajara, Mexico, was formally announced this past week. The longtime pound-for-pounder is coming off a loss to 175-pound champ Dmitri Bivol and then a shaky performance in a victory over rival Gennadiy Golovkin, followed by surgery on his left wrist. He probably deserves a relatively easy fight. Still, it’s difficult to get excited about the matchup. It has the feel of a showcase for his hometown fans, not a competitive fight. It reminds me of Julio Cesar Chavez’s meeting with Greg Haugen before 130,000-plus at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. Big event, bad fight. Let’s give Alvarez a pass under the circumstances and assume a genuine challenge will come next. … Alvarez wants another shot at Bivol. And he deserves kudos for pursuing a rematch at 175. He still has leverage. He could’ve demanded that Bivol come down to around 172 or even 168. That’s not what he’s doing. He wants to beat Bivol at the Russian’s natural weight and the weight of the first fight. Respect. …

The scoring in the Gesta-Diaz fight was interesting. Two judges had Gesta winning by a wide margin, 99-91 and 98-92. The third had a lopsided score for Diaz, 97-93. I get the scores in Gesta’s favor; I had it 97-93 for him. But 97-93 for Diaz? Judge Pam Hayashida evidently was swayed by Diaz’s aggression and the fact he landed the heaviest blows in the fight. The problem was that Gesta outworked Diaz, who stalked his opponent from beginning to end but let his hands go only in spurts. Hayashida’s score seems out of line. … Manny Pacquiao, 44, reportedly is considered a return to sanctioned boxing. And he apparently is targeting Conor Benn, the unbeaten young welterweight from England whose scheduled fight with Chris Eubank Jr. was cancelled after Benn tested positive for a banned substance in October. Other potential opponents are Kell Brook and Eubank. My guess is that Pacquiao and Co. will come to their senses if they’re serious at all. Pacman looked his age in a one-sided loss to Yordenis Ugas and that was a year and a half ago. A matchup with a contender is a bad idea.

[lawrence-related id=36209,36207,36205,36195]

Weekend Review: Tough times for Gilberto Ramirez, Joseph Diaz Jr.

A critical look at the past week in boxing BIGGEST WINNER Mercito Gesta The 35-year-old Filipino considered retirement after his career seemed to stall in 2019, when he lost and drew with a pair of journeyman and then took time away from the sport. …

A critical look at the past week in boxing

BIGGEST WINNER
Mercito Gesta

The 35-year-old Filipino considered retirement after his career seemed to stall in 2019, when he lost and drew with a pair of journeyman and then took time away from the sport. He finally decided to give it one more go. And he couldn’t be happier that he did. The one-time 135-pound title challenger defeated Joel Diaz Jr. by a unanimous decision in his comeback fight last April. He then used stick-and-move tactics and impressive resilience to beat former 130-pound champ and favored Joseph Diaz Jr. by a split decision in a 140-pound fight Saturday in Long Beach, California, to re-establish himself as a legitimate lightweight contender. And, with his confidence surging, he’s thinking big. Gesta (34-3-3, 17 KOs) said after his victory over Diaz that he’d like to face rising Mexican star William Zepeda next. Could he win that fight? No one could’ve foreseen back-to-back victories over capable opponents after he had been all but written off. Anything is possible.

 

BIGGEST LOSER
Gilberto Ramirez

Gilberto Ramirez (right) is on an unfortunate run.  Mark Robinson / Matchroom Boxing

“Zurdo” had the opportunity of his career when he stepped through the ropes to face 175-pound champ and pound-for-pounder Dmitri Bivol last November. It’s been all downhill since. Bivol outclassed Ramirez en route to winning a wide decision that seemed to expose the former 168-pound beltholder’s limitations. And this past Friday, the day before his comeback fight against Gabriel Rosado, he weighed an unheard of 7.6 pounds over the division limit and the original main event in Long Beach was cancelled. He lost a $400,000 payday and will be both fined and suspended by the California State Athletic Commission. Yes, unprofessionalism can be costly. Ramirez (44-1, 30 KOs) will now have to rebuild his reputation as a legitimate title contender and someone who won’t blow up fights because of irresponsible behavior. He apologized and promised that he would never come in overweight again. That’s a start.

 

BIGGEST LOSER II
Joseph Diaz Jr.

Joseph Diaz Jr. (right) has a decision to make. Cris Esqueda / Golden Boy Promotions

Diaz (32-4-1, 15 KOs) is in the midst of a rough stretch, in and out of the ring. He gave a solid performance but was outworked by Gesta, leaving the 2012 Olympian with three consecutive losses and a tough decision to make about what to do next. He’ll probably continue to fight. He’s only 30. He demonstrated against Gesta that he can still fight. And he still has name recognition, which helps a boxer get meaningful fights. The question is: Can he win them? It’s difficult to imagine Diaz beating the top 135-pounders, meaning his days as an elite fighter are probably over. Things are worse outside the ring. He was arrested a few weeks ago on child neglect charges, although no details were available. That followed a lawsuit filed last year accusing him of trying to coerce a minor to engage in sexual activity, which his lawyer labeled as “frivolous.” Diaz also had an acrimonious split with longtime manager Ralph Heredia. Bottom line for Diaz: Seemingly carefree days of an affable, successful young fighter are a thing of the past.

 

RABBIT PUNCHES

News item: 168-pound champion Canelo Alvarez’s homecoming defense against John Ryder on May 6 in Guadalajara, Mexico, was formally announced this past week. The longtime pound-for-pounder is coming off a loss to 175-pound champ Dmitri Bivol and then a shaky performance in a victory over rival Gennadiy Golovkin, followed by surgery on his left wrist. He probably deserves a relatively easy fight. Still, it’s difficult to get excited about the matchup. It has the feel of a showcase for his hometown fans, not a competitive fight. It reminds me of Julio Cesar Chavez’s meeting with Greg Haugen before 130,000-plus at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. Big event, bad fight. Let’s give Alvarez a pass under the circumstances and assume a genuine challenge will come next. … Alvarez wants another shot at Bivol. And he deserves kudos for pursuing a rematch at 175. He still has leverage. He could’ve demanded that Bivol come down to around 172 or even 168. That’s not what he’s doing. He wants to beat Bivol at the Russian’s natural weight and the weight of the first fight. Respect. …

The scoring in the Gesta-Diaz fight was interesting. Two judges had Gesta winning by a wide margin, 99-91 and 98-92. The third had a lopsided score for Diaz, 97-93. I get the scores in Gesta’s favor; I had it 97-93 for him. But 97-93 for Diaz? Judge Pam Hayashida evidently was swayed by Diaz’s aggression and the fact he landed the heaviest blows in the fight. The problem was that Gesta outworked Diaz, who stalked his opponent from beginning to end but let his hands go only in spurts. Hayashida’s score seems out of line. … Manny Pacquiao, 44, reportedly is considered a return to sanctioned boxing. And he apparently is targeting Conor Benn, the unbeaten young welterweight from England whose scheduled fight with Chris Eubank Jr. was cancelled after Benn tested positive for a banned substance in October. Other potential opponents are Kell Brook and Eubank. My guess is that Pacquiao and Co. will come to their senses if they’re serious at all. Pacman looked his age in a one-sided loss to Yordenis Ugas and that was a year and a half ago. A matchup with a contender is a bad idea.

[lawrence-related id=36209,36207,36205,36195]

Gilberto Ramirez apologizes, will be suspended by California after missing weight

Gilberto Ramirez apologized and will be suspended by California after missing weight for his scheduled fight against Gabriel Rosado.

Gilberto Ramirez said he has “no excuses” after missing weight by 7.6 pounds for his now-cancelled 175-pound fight with Gabriel Rosado on tonight (Saturday) in Long Beach, California.

He’ll have a lot of idle time to think about what he did.

Andy Foster, executive director of the California State Athletic Commission, said Ramirez will be suspended for at least six months. That means he’ll miss one fight, which Rosado was forced to do, assuming another commission doesn’t ignore California’s ruling.

Ramirez was due to make $400,000, Rosado $175,000.

“I’m suspending Ramirez,” Foster told Fight Freaks. “He’s getting suspended and fined, probably fined at least 5 grand. He blew the whole event up, so I’ll probably suspend him in the neighborhood of six months. It might be eight months.

“The suspension has to be long enough to cost him one fight because he cost Gabriel Rosado a fight and a training camp.”

Ramirez (44-1, 30 KOs) said he was embarrassed.

“No excuses,” he said in a formal statement. “I had never missed weight in my 45 pro fights. This is the first and last time. I have always prided myself on being a professional, but today was not my finest moment.

“On that note, l’d like to apologize to all my fans and supporters, Golden Boy Promotions, and DAZN for this unfortunate event. I never gave up trying to make weight, cutting until the final moment, but just couldn’t lose enough to make the contracted weight.

“I am embarrassed and upset by my actions and promise that this will never happen again. I will make the right adjustments and will be back soon.”

A source “close to the Ramirez camp” told Fight Freaks: “His body shut down. He worked all (Thursday) night and (Friday) morning. Tried everything.”

The fight between 140-pounders Joseph Diaz Jr. and Mercito Gesta was elevated to main event tonight (DAZN).

[lawrence-related id=36205]

Gilberto Ramirez apologizes, will be suspended by California after missing weight

Gilberto Ramirez apologized and will be suspended by California after missing weight for his scheduled fight against Gabriel Rosado.

Gilberto Ramirez said he has “no excuses” after missing weight by 7.6 pounds for his now-cancelled 175-pound fight with Gabriel Rosado on tonight (Saturday) in Long Beach, California.

He’ll have a lot of idle time to think about what he did.

Andy Foster, executive director of the California State Athletic Commission, said Ramirez will be suspended for at least six months. That means he’ll miss one fight, which Rosado was forced to do, assuming another commission doesn’t ignore California’s ruling.

Ramirez was due to make $400,000, Rosado $175,000.

“I’m suspending Ramirez,” Foster told Fight Freaks. “He’s getting suspended and fined, probably fined at least 5 grand. He blew the whole event up, so I’ll probably suspend him in the neighborhood of six months. It might be eight months.

“The suspension has to be long enough to cost him one fight because he cost Gabriel Rosado a fight and a training camp.”

Ramirez (44-1, 30 KOs) said he was embarrassed.

“No excuses,” he said in a formal statement. “I had never missed weight in my 45 pro fights. This is the first and last time. I have always prided myself on being a professional, but today was not my finest moment.

“On that note, l’d like to apologize to all my fans and supporters, Golden Boy Promotions, and DAZN for this unfortunate event. I never gave up trying to make weight, cutting until the final moment, but just couldn’t lose enough to make the contracted weight.

“I am embarrassed and upset by my actions and promise that this will never happen again. I will make the right adjustments and will be back soon.”

A source “close to the Ramirez camp” told Fight Freaks: “His body shut down. He worked all (Thursday) night and (Friday) morning. Tried everything.”

The fight between 140-pounders Joseph Diaz Jr. and Mercito Gesta was elevated to main event tonight (DAZN).

[lawrence-related id=36205]

Gilberto Ramirez 7.6 pounds over limit, fight with Gabriel Rosado off

The fight between Gilberto Ramirez and Gabriel Rosado is off after Ramirez came in 7.6 pounds over the 175-pound limit.

Gilberto Ramirez said in the lead-up to his comeback fight against Gabriel Rosado after being outclassed by Dmitry Bivol in November that he was “ready.”

Evidently he wasn’t.

The former 168-pound titleholder, schedueld to face Rosado on Saturday at the Walter Pyramid in Long Beach, California, failed to make weight on Friday and the 175-pound fight was cancelled, according to promoter Golden Boy.

The co-feature between 140-pounders Joseph Diaz Jr. and Mercito Gesta will now be the main event (DAZN).

Golden Boy didn’t release Ramirez’s weight. However, ESPN reported that he came in at 182.6 before the official weigh-in, a whopping 7.6 over the limit.

Ramirez (44-1, 30 KOs) was set to fight at 175 for the seventh time.

“Due to Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez failing to make the contracted weight, Zurdo vs. Rosado has been canceled,” Golden Boy said in a news release. “We are very disappointed for letting our fans down, and will work with Gabriel Rosado to bring him back to the ring very soon.

“Joseph “JoJo” Diaz, Jr. vs. Mercito “No Mercy” Gesta is the new main event for Saturday, March 18.”

Diaz (32-3-1, 15 KOs) is a former 130-pound titleholder but the Angeleno has lost his last two fights, wide decisions against Devin Haney (135) and William Zepeda (140).

Gesta (33-3-3, 17 KOs) is a former 135-pound title challenger from the Philippines. He’s coming off a unanimous decision victory over Joel Diaz Jr. last April.

[lawrence-related id=34013]

Gilberto Ramirez 7.6 pounds over limit, fight with Gabriel Rosado off

The fight between Gilberto Ramirez and Gabriel Rosado is off after Ramirez came in 7.6 pounds over the 175-pound limit.

Gilberto Ramirez said in the lead-up to his comeback fight against Gabriel Rosado after being outclassed by Dmitry Bivol in November that he was “ready.”

Evidently he wasn’t.

The former 168-pound titleholder, schedueld to face Rosado on Saturday at the Walter Pyramid in Long Beach, California, failed to make weight on Friday and the 175-pound fight was cancelled, according to promoter Golden Boy.

The co-feature between 140-pounders Joseph Diaz Jr. and Mercito Gesta will now be the main event (DAZN).

Golden Boy didn’t release Ramirez’s weight. However, ESPN reported that he came in at 182.6 before the official weigh-in, a whopping 7.6 over the limit.

Ramirez (44-1, 30 KOs) was set to fight at 175 for the seventh time.

“Due to Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez failing to make the contracted weight, Zurdo vs. Rosado has been canceled,” Golden Boy said in a news release. “We are very disappointed for letting our fans down, and will work with Gabriel Rosado to bring him back to the ring very soon.

“Joseph “JoJo” Diaz, Jr. vs. Mercito “No Mercy” Gesta is the new main event for Saturday, March 18.”

Diaz (32-3-1, 15 KOs) is a former 130-pound titleholder but the Angeleno has lost his last two fights, wide decisions against Devin Haney (135) and William Zepeda (140).

Gesta (33-3-3, 17 KOs) is a former 135-pound title challenger from the Philippines. He’s coming off a unanimous decision victory over Joel Diaz Jr. last April.

[lawrence-related id=34013]

Gilberto Ramirez vs. Gabriel Rosado: date, time, how to watch, background

Gilberto Ramirez vs. Gabriel Rosado: date, time, how to watch, background.

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.

[lawrence-related id=34018,34013,32756]

Gilberto Ramirez vs. Gabriel Rosado: date, time, how to watch, background

Gilberto Ramirez vs. Gabriel Rosado: date, time, how to watch, background.

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.

[lawrence-related id=34018,34013,32756]