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Ramirez Vies For Title And More

Image: Gabe Gomez/ProBox

New York – A year ago in November the boxing promoters and networks truly said it was their season as one mega championship after another was on the schedule every weekend. Boxing fans had a bonanza with Top Rank, Matchroom, Golden Boy, and the PBC,

They showcased the champions and ranked fighters on ESPN, Showtime, FOX Sports, and the DAZN streaming network. And Saturday take your choice as Matchroom, Golden Boy, and the PBC highlight championship fights. It will also be another headliner for Latino fighters who continue to dominate the sport in various divisions.

The light heavyweight title fight and opportunity is here for former champion Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez of Mexico with a quest to dethrone WBA champion Dmitrii Bivol that will be streamed on DAZN.

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates: Dmitry Bivol and Gilberto Zurdo Ramirez final Press Conference ahead of their WBA Light Heavyweight World Title fight on saturday night.
3 November 2022
Picture By Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing

And Ramirez (44-0, 30 KO’s) has traveled a long way to Abu Dhabi, for his opportunity at the Etihad Arena, a venue and country that has quickly become a fight capital.

“The beginning of the Champion Series, the start of a new era of boxing here in Abu Dhabi with Matchroom Boxing and the DCT. It’s quite incredible to think that when the WBA ordered this fight, it was just eight weeks ago that we concluded this deal. The work that has gone in to fight week, the work that has gone into preparation of this fight, this is just the start of a long-term relationship between Matchroom and DCT to change the face of boxing here,” said Matchroom Chairman Eddie Hearn.

Ramirez has worked hard for this opportunity, And it took two promoters to get this fight done, Hearn and Hall of Famer Oscar De La Hoya of Golden Boy Promotions, which also brings to mind that dueling promotions can also make a mega fight possible.

“Right now I just see it as becoming a two-time World Champion,” Ramirez said Thursday. “ I don’t see it like me becoming a boxing star. My goal is to become a two-time World Champion, continue to build my legacy and eventually to become a legend. That’s my goal. I want to do that for all of my fans out there.”

And Zulo is making his case that Bivol is not facing Canelo Alvarez, his fellow countryman and undisputed super middleweight champion who moved up in weight and lost a unanimous decision to Bivol in May.

“Against a fighter in Bivol who is excellent. I love Bivol, his style is bar none one of the best in the business. I believe that Bivol coming off a tremendous win against Canelo, another Mexican superstar, in his last fight was a tremendous showing. He did a great job. But I do have to say that Zurdo Ramirez is no Canelo. Zurdo Ramirez is a fighter who punches in bunches, a fighter who is big and strong and heavy and southpaw. He is going to be very active.”

And as De La Hoya said, this is an opportunity for his Golden Boy promoted fighter and a message sent that mega fights are something fans deserve and should expect when promoters work together.

“This is the opportunity of a lifetime for Zurdo Ramirez,” De La Hoya said. “This is the opportunity of a lifetime for boxing to be on the big stage and show the world what Abu Dhabi is, show the world what big-time boxing is, and to show the world that, yes, promoters can come together and stage the big fights.”

SHOWTIME FOR MORRELL JR- Unbeaten WBA Super Middleweight Champion and Minneapolis fan-favorite David Morrell Jr. and undefeated mandatory challenger Aidos Yerbossynuly went face-to-face at the final press conference on Thursday, before they put their unbeaten records on the line live on SHOWTIME this Saturday, November 5 in a Premier Boxing Champions event from The Armory in Minneapolis.

former unified champion Jeison Rosario (Dominican Republic) and veteran contender Brian Mendoza meet in the 10-round middleweight co-main event, plus unbeaten middleweight Fiodor Czerkaszyn and the hard-hitting Nathaniel Gallimore, who kick off the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® telecast at 9:10 p.m. ET/6:10 p.m. PT with a 10-round duel.

Morrell Jr. of Cuban descent, is always in the discussion about taking on Canelo Alvarez or Jose Benavidez as one of the top contenders in the division. He has the power punch that has led him to an undefeated mark, but when asked will not go beyond his opponent he meets Saturday night.

Morrell vs Yerbossynuly- Esther Lin/Showtime

“My only focus right now is on Aidos,” he said. “ I’m not paying attention to any other fighters, but I’m going to be ready for them. I want to fight David Benavidez in my next fight. I respect everyone in the division, but I’m hungry for the biggest fights. I want to fight everybody.”

Though, a win will lead to more discussion about an eventual and next meeting with Benavidez. Alvarez continues to recover from a wrist that required surgery and will keep him out of the ring until September of next year….

PROBOX LAST CHANCE CHAMPIONSHIP- $50,000 cash is on the line in ProBox TV’s 140 lb. “Last Chance” Tournament Championship. The tourney final will take place this Friday, November 4, at the ProBox Events Center in Plant City, Florida and will be streamed live at PROBOXTV.com and the ProBox TV app beginning at 9 pm ET / 6 pm PT

In the co-featured bout, WBO Latino Lightweight Champion Juan Huertas will defend his title against Miguel Madueno (ten-rounds). The Last Chance Tournament kicked off on May 20 with eight combatants who were chosen based on having a top amateur trajectory, where fate had not been on the side of their once promising professional careers.

Here is the lineup with weights:

ProBox TV Last Chance 140 lb. Championship – 10 Rounds
Kendo Castañeda 140 lbs. (19-5, 9 KOs) of San Antonio, Texas vs.
Antonio “Toño” Moran 140.2 lbs. (28-5-1, 19 KOs) of Mexico City, Mexico

The rest of the card

WBO Latino Lightweight Championship – 10 rounds
Juan “El Olympico” Huertas 134.6 lbs. (16-3, 12 KOs) from 24 de Diciembre, Panama
Miguel. “Explosivo” Madueno 135 lbs. (27-0, 25 KOs) originally from Guasave, Sinaloa, MX

Super Featherweights – 6 Rounds
Carlos Rosario 133.6 lbs. (5-0, 3 KOs) Fajardo, Puerto Rico vs.
Ezequiel Borrero 136 lbs. (5-0, 2 KOs) Las Vegas, NV

Super Featherweights – 6 rounds
Dominic Valle 129.2 lbs. (4-0, 4 KOs) Lutz, FL vs.
Jose Meza 130.4 lbs. (8-7, 2 KOs) Durango, Mexico

Rich Mancuso is a senior writer @Latinosports.com. Twitter@Ring786 Facebook.com Watch “Sports with Rich” live on Tuesday Nights at 8pm EST on The SLG Network/Youtube with Robert Rizzo Available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify under The SLG Network.

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