Via Adam Baskin: Eddie Hearn will ask the WBA to host a replacement bout for light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol against Joshua Buatsi in October instead of a WBA-ordered bout against Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez.
Arguably, there’s more money for Bivol to face Buatsi than Ramirez, so it makes sense for him to head in that direction for the next game in October.
If Hearn gets his way, Ramirez (44-0, 30 KOs) will wait and face the winner Bivol vs. Buatsi. It’s not a big deal.
Former WBO middleweight champion Zurdo Ramirez, 31, has waited three years to get a belt without actually fighting anyone notable in that time, so he won’t meet more difficult to wait a while longer.
There’s no way Ramirez can take on Canelo Alvarez if he gets the 175-lb WBA title, as the Mexican star wants/needs a rematch with Bivol. Likely, Canelo will never fight again at the age of 175 after he faced Bivol in their rematch.
“We will have the right to demand an alternative waran exemption, which we will submit to the WBA,” Hearn told DAZN Boxing Show this week about its intention to ask the WBA to allow Bivol to face Buatsi next instead of Zurdo.
“We had a plan to do it Joshua Buatsi to fight in October. So we’ll talk to the WBA, and the Golden Boy will deliver their argument. Hearn said.
Even if Zurdo Ramirez gets the WBA title, he will be limited in his defense against these fighters:
- Joshua Buatsi
- Craig Richards,
- Joe Smith Jr.
- Callum Smith
Those guys will instantly beat the insanely slow Ramirez and put him back in the ranks of the contenders.
Ramirez should be grateful to the World Boxing Association for giving him the #1 rank with their organization, as he has yet to fight anyone who has reached the elite level in the three years since his rise. weight class from 168 to 175 in 2019.
Zurdo Ramirez got through the back door to reach No. 1, and that kept him from falling behind against talented opponents like Craig Richards, Joshua Buatsi and Callum Smith.
“Well, the fight has been ordered,” said Golden Boy Promotion CEO Oscar De La Hoya ABN Sports Media about the WBA ordering their 175 lb champion Dmitry Bivol against Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez next.
“We have a certain amount of time to negotiate and execute [Bivol vs. Zurdo] Oscar continued. “So Bivol has no promoters, no promoters.
“We are working with Bivol’s manager, Dmitry [Kornilov], and I actually felt it would be relatively easy to make that fight happen. We all want that fight, and we can see it in the fall on DAZN.
“Hope, Zurdo Ramirez can avenge the loss to Canelo and to Mexico,De La Hoya said.
Who will avenge Ramirez’s loss if he is defeated by Bivol?
