WBA and WBO Cruiserweight Champion Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez (47-1, 30 cost) chose on June 28 to defend his two belts against #1 WBA-approved contender Yuniel Dorticos (27-2, 25 coes).
Report the ring that Ramirez, 30, chose to against the 39-year-old man Dorticos next. The battle will not attract nearly as much interest as Ramirez has agreed to encounter IBF champion Jai Opetaia in a unification match. This battle will not move the needle with the fans, but it gives Gilberto the chance to hold a little longer to his two titles.
Dorticos: Dan and now
The portion of Dorticos by Gilberto Ramirez will please sentimental Older fans, who remember how exciting the Cuban fighter was in his best years many years ago. However, Dorticos has not beaten significant opponents since his victories over Andrew Tabiti in 2019 and Mateusz masternak In 2018, even these two benefits were more perks than the top of the tree quality fighters. It is a long, long time for a fighter to face contenders. That’s why Dorticos is a poor choice for the Golden Boy-promoted Ramirez to defend. If the idea is that he milks his two belts for as long as possible, he is an excellent choice.
Ramirez took a career’s punishment in his last fight and beat Chris Billiam-Smith with a unanimous 12 round decision in a war on November 16 last year in Riyadh. Some of the head shots that Gilberto included in that battle of the heavy-handed Billiam-Smith were cruel. After that fight, it is understandable why Ramirez chooses to defend against the 40-Ish Yuniel rather than facing the walking Guillotine Jai Opetaia.
Dorticos has not fought anyone from note in five years, and it is unclear how much he has in the tank at his age.
Department state
The World Boxing Association gave Dorticos a number 1 ranking, but the level of opposition he hit in his last three fights indicates that it should be placed near the lower 15 place. It also reflects how weak the Cruiserweight Division is now. It is one of the worst weight classes in the sport, next to the welterweight and middleweight divisions.
Dorticos’s last three opponents
-Alan Campa-19-9
-Deibis berrocal-18-12
-JESSE Bryan-20-5-2
Former IBF and WBA Cruiserweight champion Dorticos was once one of the leading names in the division. However, he only fought once since losing his IBF title Mairis briedis by a 12 -round majority decision on September 26, 2020.
It looks like Dorticos has come to the Tune-up track and has stayed on it for the past five years, rather than returning to the fight against world-class opposition. Who knows what the reason is – a lack of ambition or confidence of Dorticos’ part?
How do you only fight against opposition in the second level for three in five years? If you see a fighter who has been inactive for a long time, there is a reason behind it. Did the loss of Briedis do something to Dorticos’ self -belief?
Last updated on 03/04/2025
 has opted to defend his two belts against #1 WBA-ranked contender Yuniel Dorticos){kind=link}