Dmitry Bivol retained his WBA light heavyweight title in lopsided fashion with a unanimous decision over Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez on Saturday in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
The win — thru ratings of 118-110, 117-111 and 117-111 — comes after Bivol broke thru in May with an upset victory over Canelo Alvarez, ESPN’s No. 1 pound-for-pound boxer at the time.
With the pair of incredible wins, Bivol (21-0, eleven KOs) is the clean the front-runner for Fighter of the Year honors with much less than 60 days closing in the 2022 marketing campaign.
I proved myself, I can be the quality guy inside the world,” stated Bivol, ESPN’s No. 8 pound-for-pound boxer. “… The lion isn’t always largest animal in jungle, however he’s king. Zurdo larger than me; doesn’t depend.
Read More >> Mark Hunt celebrates victory over Sonny Bill Williams
Indeed, Ramirez regarded to be the a long way bigger man, even though he is a former 168-pound titleholder who moved as much as 175 in 2019. The 31-yr-antique Mexican fighter had stopped all 5 of his mild heavyweight warring parties in the distance but turned into never without a doubt inside the combat with Bivol.
The 31-12 months-antique Bivol, who fights out of St. Petersburg, Russia, managed the action from the opening bell with his outstanding jab, clean footwork and impeccable timing.
In preceding fights, Bivol was content material to field from the outside, but towards Alvarez, he become a long way greater competitive and unleashed five- and 6-punch combinations. And once again, Bivol came ahead. He accurately applied stress and peppered Ramirez with jabs and straight right fingers that met the mark time and again.
Curiously, Ramirez attempted to outbox Bivol, instead of hearth frame pictures and stress the champion. The approach genuinely made topics easier for Bivol, who used superior hand speed and footwork to steer clear of Ramirez’s energy photographs and make him pay.
Now, Bivol hopes to combat Artur Beterbiev, who holds 3 mild heavyweight titles, in one of the quality matchups the sport can offer. Beterbiev, ESPN’s No. 7 pound-for-pound boxer, is about to combat Anthony Yarde on Jan. 28. But if he is triumphant, a meeting with Bivol might crown an undisputed one hundred seventy five-pound champion.
I even have a intention; I wanna be undisputed champion, however it doesn’t all depend upon me,” Bivol stated. “If it all depends on me, I combat for all four belts. … I hope they’re taking note of me, what I want. I’m like a child who has a dream; I want to go together with this dream.”
If Bivol can not land Beterbiev in due path, a rematch with Alvarez, who currently underwent surgical procedure on his left wrist, is a opportunity. When Bivol routed Alvarez in May, the bout changed into contested at a hundred seventy five pounds for Bivol’s mild heavyweight name. Would Bivol take into account combating Alvarez at 168 kilos, in which he stays undisputed terrific middleweight champion, to chase his dream?
For four belts, it is exciting combat. Why now not?” Bivol stated. “But do not forget, I’m light heavyweight. This is my weight.
And proper now, Bivol just is probably peerless at his weight. After all, Ramirez entered the combat rated No. 3 at 175 pounds via ESPN and wasn’t remotely aggressive, despite the fact that he seemed to believe otherwise.
I suppose I did enough,” he stated, “however the judges do their job.
Only Beterbiev, it seems, has any hazard to upend Bivol’s title reign, that is now at 5 years and 10 defenses (and counting).
On the Matchroom Boxing on DAZN undercard, Shavkat Rakhimov scored knockdowns of Zelfa Barrett in Round nine for the stoppage victory to capture the vacant IBF junior light-weight identify. Rakhimov, who changed into floored in Round 3, will subsequent combat Joe Cordina, who become stripped of the title following hand surgical operation.
In another undercard identify fight, Chantelle Cameron scored a unanimous-decision victory over Jessica McCaskill — ratings of 97-93, ninety six-94 and 96-94 — to assert the undisputed girls’s junior welterweight championship. McCaskill entered the bout rated No. Four pound-for-pound by ESPN.