WBA cruiserweight champion Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez is seemingly wanting previous WBO champ Chris Billiam-Smith towards a struggle towards Oleksandr Usyk if he returns to the division in 2025.
Ramirez (46-1, 30 KOs) is thinking about preventing for the previous undisputed cruiserweight champion Usyk, and clearly, it’s a struggle that might make him some huge cash if it occurs.
Usyk doesn’t sound like he’s going to be coming again all the way down to cruiserweight. In a latest interview, he mentioned he wished to remain at heavyweight for the large fights which are accessible to him. So, if Ramirez needs that struggle, he’s going to wish to maintain consuming fo fill out extra.
Billiam-Smith (20-1, 13 KOs) and Ramirez can be preventing on November sixteenth on Latino Night time at The Venue in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The occasion can be proven dwell on DAZN.
“Zurdo is coming into this struggle after beating a long-reigning titleholder [WBA cruiserweight champion Arsen] Goulamirian. I believe that’s going to make this struggle much more aggressive,” mentioned Chris Mannix to DAZN Boxing in regards to the Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez vs. Chris Billiam-Smith unification struggle on November sixteenth.
“I’m excited as a result of Zurdo is speaking about Usyk, and Usyk is coming again all the way down to cruiserweight. That’s fairly thrilling,” mentioned Oscar De La Hoya.
“What I like about Zurdo Ramirez is that usually when a fighter is arising from the decrease weight divisions as much as the upper weight divisions, they get flat-footed. They wish to punch more durable,” mentioned Sergio Mora. “It looks like Zurdo is getting extra nifty on his toes.
“I believe they’re doing an important job with their recreation plan and the technique to comply with that technique all the best way to the tip. Measurement isn’t going to matter to him if he’s going to be utilizing angles like that,” mentioned Mora about Ramirez.
Chris Billiam-Smith isn’t an enormous fighter. In comparison with Ramirez’s final opponent, Goulamirian, he’s common measurement, and he gained’t be outmaneuvered the best way that he was. This struggle goes to be one by punching, not transferring. If Ramirez goes to try to field for 12 rounds, he’s going to lose to Billiam-Smith as a result of he’s going to be getting tagged by him.
“Malik Scott has carried out an important job with him to get a bottom-heavy, flat-footed fighter. What he did with Joe Smith transferring aspect to aspect and utilizing angles. It was a special model, and Joe couldn’t do something,” mentioned Oscar De La Hoya about Ramirez’s win over former mild heavyweight champion Joe Smith Jr. final 12 months on October seventh.
The brand new defensive model that Ramirez has adopted has labored for him towards the restricted guys he’s fought, but it surely is probably not efficient towards Billiam-Smith. He’s fought movers earlier than, and it’ll not be shocking to see Ramirez making an attempt to outbox him with motion the best way it was for Goulamirian and Smith Jr.
