Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez, the current WBA cruiserweight champion, has his sights set beyond his upcoming unification bout with WBO champion Chris Billiam-Smith on November 16. Ramirez has expressed interest in a potential clash with former undisputed cruiserweight champion Oleksandr Usyk, should Usyk ever decide to return to the division.
Ramirez’s ambitions, however, may be a long shot. Usyk has made it clear in recent interviews that he intends to stay at heavyweight, where lucrative matchups await him. For Ramirez, that means that if he truly wants a shot at Usyk, he may need to bulk up to meet him in the heavyweight ranks.
The Ramirez vs. Billiam-Smith showdown will take place on Latino Night at The Venue in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, streaming live on DAZN. Coming off a dominant performance against long-time titleholder Arsen Goulamirian, Ramirez has shown improvements in footwork and ring strategy under the guidance of Malik Scott. But Sergio Mora, a DAZN analyst, warns that the slicker style Ramirez used against slower opponents may not work as effectively against Billiam-Smith, who thrives on power exchanges and could punish Zurdo if he tries to box on the outside for twelve rounds.
Get to learn more about Zurdo vs. Billam-Smith bout right here.
Image Credit: DAZN