A big unification match is in the cards for Golden Boy’s first exclusive Riyadh season show.
The Ring has confirmed that Chris Billam-Smith and Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez are in advanced talks for a WBO/WBA cruiserweight title fight. Should the two come to terms, the bout will headline the November 16 “Latinos Night in Riyadh Season” show currently underway.
England’s Billam-Smith (20-1, 13 knockouts) holds the WBO belt and is The Ring’s no. 1-rated cruiserweight. Mexico’s Ramirez (46-1, 30 KOs) is the WBA titlist and is ranked as no. 3 rated by The Ring.
One hurdle that was removed to help move the match was the issue of Ramirez’s mandatory title defense. Former two-time titleholder Yuniel Dorticos (27-2, 25 KOs) is the No. 1 contender for the WBA and ordered to hold talks with Ramirez’s team. The two sides were unable to reach an agreement, but were able to find common ground and avoid a purse strings trial.
That common ground was that Dorticos agreed to step aside entirely. A report from El Nuevo Herald’s Jorge Ebro confirmed that Dorticos had accepted a financial package to step down from the fight.
The arrangement allowed Ramirez and his team to move forward with the division’s first unification game since 2018.
There is still work ahead to finalize terms, putting both fighters at risk if a deal falls through.
Ramirez lifted the WBA title from then-undefeated Arsen Goulamirian (27-0, 18 KOs at the time). The win earned the Mexican southpaw a two-division title shot on March 30 in Inglewood, California. He previously held the WBO super middleweight title from 2016-2019.
A move up to light heavyweight ended in Ramirez’s lone career loss, a November 2022 points loss to WBA titlist Dmitry Bivol (23-0, 12 KOs).
Two wins followed, but none since his title effort over Goulamirian.
Bournemouth’s Billam-Smith claimed the WBO cruiserweight title in a thrilling 12-round victory over then-undefeated Lawrence Okolie. The battle of former training stablemates saw ‘CBS’ drop Okolie three times to win the belt last May 27 in his hometown.
Two successful defenses followed. Among them was included Billam-Smith’s points win over undefeated Richard Riakporhe (17-0 at the time). In their Sky Sports/Peacock+ main event on June 15, Billam-Smith avenged his only career defeat, and on the road at London’s Selhurst Park.
Billam-Smith was previously in talks with RING/IBF champion Jai Opetaia. Their fight would have landed on the October 12 Riyadh Season event, but the two parties could not come to terms. Sydney’s Opetaia (25-0, 19 KOs) will instead face England’s Jack ‘One Smack’ Massey (22-2, 12 KOs) on the show in Riyadh.
The planned show will be the first true Riyadh season event where Golden Boy will serve as the main promoter. The Riyadh group led by Saudi government adviser Turki Alalshikh sponsored Golden Boy’s DAZN show on August 10 in Las Vegas.
Alalshikh, chairman of the country’s General Entertainment Authority, announced that the show will be on November 16 Riyadh Season’s first standalone non-pay-per-view event. The decision was made after a discussion with Hall of Famer and GBP Chairman Oscar De La Hoya.
“We had a long conversation,” Alalshikh noted. “(Therefore) I have decided that the card of Latinos Night in Riyadh Season with our partner Golden Boy will be free on TV networks and platforms around the world. (Any) TV network or platform and cable TV that is in this event interested, please contact us in Riyadh Season and Sela (especially) in Mexico and South America.We care about boxing fans for this cfree.”
I just hung up the phone with my friend Oscar De La Hoya… We had a long conversation, so I decided that the card of Latinos Night in Riyadh Season with our partner Golden Boy will be free on TV networks and platforms across the world … any TV network or platform and cable TV interested in this event please contact us in Riyadh Season and Sela specially in Mexico and South America … we care about boxing fans for thatard free
— Türkiye ALALSHIKH (@turk_alalshikh) September 3, 2024
