Gilberto Ramírez Sets Sights on Usyk at Heavyweight
On Saturday, November 16, Gilberto Ramírez continued his ascent in the boxing world with a dominant victory over Chris Billam-Smith in Saudi Arabia. Ramírez secured a unanimous decision after 12 rounds, with the judges scoring the bout 116-112 (twice) and 116-113 in his favor, adding another historic win to his record.
This victory marked not only another milestone in Ramírez's career but also a significant step toward his larger ambitions. Having already made history as the first Mexican super middleweight world champion and later as the first Mexican cruiserweight world champion, Ramírez added the WBO title to the WBA belt he already held. This achievement made him the first unified Mexican champion in the cruiserweight division.
Now, with his sights set on becoming the undisputed cruiserweight champion, Ramírez has his eyes on a new challenge: Oleksandr Usyk. The Ukrainian, who is widely regarded as one of the best to ever compete in both the cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions, is a fighter Ramírez admires deeply.
In a recent interview with Sky Sports, Ramírez made it clear he wants a showdown with Usyk: “If he wants, I’m more than ready and happy to fight him. He’s one of my idols, and I want to face him because what he’s been doing in boxing is great.”
Ramírez also reflected on his own growth inside the ring: “Everyone saw I’m a strong man and I’m growing. I want to be a heavyweight champion too, and everything is possible. Look at Usyk, what he did, and he’s not bigger than me, and I think I can do it too.”
While Ramírez is focused on unifying the cruiserweight titles, his aspirations don’t end there. His next possible opponents include IBF champion Jai Opetaia and WBC titleholder Noel Mikaelian, but he’s resolute in his desire to become the undisputed cruiserweight champion.
Oscar De La Hoya, Ramírez’s promoter, has also expressed that a potential fight with Usyk could solidify Ramírez as a major name in the sport.
Ramírez hasn’t ruled out the possibility of fighting in different weight classes to make the Usyk showdown a reality, further underlining his ambition.
Meanwhile, Usyk, the current heavyweight champion with three belts, is set to face Tyson Fury in a highly anticipated rematch on December 21 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. As this fight draws closer, Ramírez continues to pursue his dream of becoming the undisputed cruiserweight champion, while keeping his eye on a future clash with Usyk in the heavyweight division.
