ANAHEIM, California – Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez might leave something to be desired in his ability to hype a fight, but when it comes to the basics that matter – grinding in the gym, outworking his foe – he’s collected all the merchandise that matters.
Ramirez, 34, irked the head of Most Valuable Promotions, Nakisa Bidarian, earlier this week by trudging through his public workout by merely holding up his WBO and WBA cruiserweight belts.
“Jake wants to fight people who are going to rise to his level and show the fan base what it means to be a boxer and get people excited,” Bidarian said. “I was so disappointed in what I saw in ‘Zurdo.’ It’s your chance to show everybody why you should be fighting Jake Paul next. Instead, we’re showing belts.”
Ramirez 47-1 (30 KOs) may further disenfranchise himself from Paul should he dominate Saturday’s DAZN pay-per-view co-main event versus Cuba’s Yuniel Dorticos 27-2 (25 KOs).
Paul fights Mexico’s Julio Cesar Chavez Jnr in the main event, and a victory could potentially move him into both the WBA and WBC top-15 rankings, which would qualify him for either a title shot at Ramirez or the 41-year-old WBC champion Badou Jack.
“If I’m open, after this fight,” Ramirez said to the question of when he’s ready for Paul. “I need to win. He needs to win. That’s fine for me.”
Since his November 2022 light-heavyweight title loss by unanimous decision to currently undisputed champion Dmitry Bivol, Ramirez has reeled off three consecutive unanimous-decision triumphs over Joe Smith Jnr, Arsen Goulamarian and Chris Billam-Smith to stand as a unified titlist alongside Jack and IBF champion Jai Opetaia.
He credits his winning streak to “my training with Julian Chua … we’ve been training hard, put in a lot of effort in the gym. Everything is due to the gym, because we’ve been putting a lot of great performances in there.”
In “K.O. Doctor” Dorticos, 39, Ramirez meets the WBA’s top-ranked contender who similarly has prepared diligently in Florida, and is so locked in on the task that Premier Boxing Champions-linked promoter Leon Margules says Dorticos hasn’t requested one ticket for friends or family.
“He knows what time it is,” Margules said.
A two-time title challenger who lost to Murat Gassiev and Mairis Briedis, Dorticos similarly kept his fight-selling skills to a bare-bones exercise at Thursday’s news conference, saying, “I’m going to show you guys 39 years is really nothing. I’m going to show up Saturday, because we’re going to have a war.”
Ramirez expressed confidence he can deal with Dorticos’ punching power.
“I think I can take punches. I have the skill to beat this guy,” he said. “I’m going to prove I’m the best in this division. That’s why I’m putting my belts on the line – to prove I’m the best cruiserweight.
“I expect a war. I expect he’s really prepared. Everyone will see why ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez is the champion. I’ll be prepared for ‘Dr. KO.’”
Should the popular Paul defeat Chavez, enter both rankings and shun him in favor of Jack, Ramirez said he’s prepared to turn to Australia’s Opetaia 28-0 (22 KOs).
“This fight first, then anyone. If I can get all the belts, let’s do it,” Ramirez said.
As for the showmanship, Ramirez said what matters most to him is this
“Win the fight. I don’t have to prove anything to anyone other than myself. I’ve believed in myself my whole career,” he said.
