“I think maybe one or two more fights,” Ramirez told Fight Hub TV when asked about his long-term plans. “I’ve been in this sport for a long time.”
The 33-year-old Ramirez said that while he still wants to continue for now, he is already thinking about how his career will end, rather than how long it can be extended. Ramirez said he has accomplished key goals in the sport, including becoming a two-division world champion, but still wants to prove himself at the highest level before stepping away.
That pursuit begins with Benavidez, a fight that Ramirez believes will define his stature and push his name further into the sport’s top tier.
“I will beat him. That is also my plan to fight Opetaia,” Gilberto said of his will against former IBF cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia.
It’s a shoot-for-the-stars plan for Ramirez, but you can’t blame him for wanting to fight Opetaia. The biggest obstacle is not only the fight itself, but where Jai Opetaia currently sits. Jai is now the face of Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing.
At the same time, Ramirez hinted at a final twist before retirement. When asked to move up again, he left the door open for a possible run at heavyweight, even admitting he might not be the biggest fighter in that division.
“Why not?” Ramirez said about moving up to heavyweight. “That would be great.”
If Zurdo loses to Benavidez, his plan for Opetaia will likely evaporate, and he might just jump straight to that heavyweight moonshot for one last payday before hanging them up.
