On The Watch “It’s All About Gilberto Ramirez vs David Benavidez”

WBA/WBO Cruiserweight Showdown

Last night’s PBC/PPV Prime Video Main Event surpassed my expectations when WBA/WBO Cruiserweight Champion Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez (48-2, 30 Kos) took on WBC Light Heavyweight Champion David “The Mexican Monster “Benavidez (32-0, 26 Kos) and completely got dominated by the younger man who was moving up in weight to do battle at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

I anticipated these two warriors who are very familiar with one another after sparing over 100 rounds or so in the past to give us a mind-blowing boxing match but what transpired was the complete opposite.

 Ramirez came out the gate with a “game plan” in mind and proceeded to execute it as instructed in the first few rounds but soon found out that once Benavidez started to let his hands go that this “Mexican Monster” was the real deal under them bright lights.

Ramirez quickly threw the original “game plan” out the ring as Benavidez started to pick up the pace and forced Ramirez into a shootout. As I’ve mentioned in the past going toe-to-toe with “The Mexican Monster” while not being properly prepared is a death trap which Ramirez fell right into. Not being able to match Benavidez punch for punch is detrimental to your health.  

The hand speed in which Benavidez comes at you with has a tendency of breaking most combatants down and it did just that in the final seconds of the fourth round when Benavidez unleashed a barrage of unanswered punches to the head of Ramirez, dropping him to a standing 8 count.

Ramirez either refused or ignored his cornerman’s instructions but the inevitable was near. Ramirez wrongfully continued to stand toe-to-toe and attempted to bang with Benavidez but was visibly breaking down, unable to stand his ground as Benavidez’s speed and clip rate was too much to contend with and eventually succumbed to a deadly three-piece punch combination that closed the show in the sixth round prompting the referee to halt the bout.

To simply put it, Ramirez was outgunned on every level. It was a very impressive and dominate performance by “The Mexican Monster” who now enters History as the first combatant to win Titles at Super Middleweight, Light Heavyweight and now Cruiserweight.

With Benavidez now holding the WBA/WBO Cruiserweight Titles and the WBC Light Heavyweight Title, his options are quite interesting. I can’t wait to see which avenue he decides to tackle next.

Until then, congratulations David.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About Dmitry Bivol vs Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez”

WBA Light Heavyweight Challenge

I had expectations regarding tonight’s Matchroom/DAZN Main Event at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi United Arab Emirates between WBA Light Heavyweight World Champion Dmitry Bivol (21-0, 11 Kos) and Mandatory Challenger Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez (44-1, 30 kos) but instead witnessed a very convincing and dominating performance by Bivol.

To be clear, I wasn’t disappointed with Bivol’s performance, it was “Zurdo’s” lack of a proper “game plan” and gun-shy approach that took me by surprise. “Zurdo” is usually the seek and destroy type combatant that puts just the right amount of pressure on his opponents demoralizing them into submission but tonight that effort from “Zurdo” was missing in action. Real Talk!

Tonight “Zurdo” had met his match in the form of Bivol the fundamentally sound assassin who broke him down round by round. Bivol showed levels to his boxing skills inside that squared circle. There was absoletely nothing that Gilberto could do to deter Bivol from having his way inside that squared circle. Bivol, the visibly smaller fighter bullied and walked down the much bigger combatant with utterly no fear.

Bivol was focussed from round 1 to 12 and never wavered at any time. His range and steady combination punches kept Gilberto honest and unable to settle down with his own offensive approach.

Gilberto failed to use his height or his range properly. His regular punch output and his usual body attack was nonexistent. I expected Gilberto to bring the “Heat” tonight but instead Gilberto’s gun-shy lack of approach cost him the biggest fight of his career to date.

That said, there wasn’t much Gilberto could do, Bivol had him on lock right from the Jump. Bivol proved once again why he is one of the most complete fighters in the game today.

This bout was out of reach from time and after 12 fully completed rounds, the Judges at hand made it an easy outcome of 118-110, 117-111 and 117-111 in favor of Dmitry Bivol.

Gilberto Ramirez is a very worthy opponent for anybody in the Light Heavyweight Division but tonight Bivol made him look like a pedestrian who did not belong with him inside that squared circle.

Congratulations Dmitry on successfully defending your WBA Light Heavyweight World Championship for the 10th time.

Blaze

On The Watch “It’s All About Dmitry Bivol vs Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez”

WBA Light Heavyweight Challenge

A very intriguing matchup in the Light Heavyweight Division has officially been announced. WBA Light-Heavyweight World Champion Dmitry Bivol (20-0, 11 Kos) has now been ordered to defend his Championship Belt against undefeated Mandatory Challenger Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez (44-0, 30 Kos) at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi United Arab Emirates on Saturday November 5, 2022.

This is a bout Ramirez has been looking forward to ever since he moved up to the Light Heavyweight Division in 2019. “Zurdo” is quite big for the Division and packs a mean punch in both hands whenever they detonate on one of his opponents. That said “Zurdo” has never faced such a cerebral opponent of the likes of Bivol with a high boxing IQ inside that squared circle. Dmitry is fresh off a win over the previous Pound-for Pound King Canelo Alvarez. On that night Dmitry showed the world and Canelo just how dominant he can be when faced with the best of the best of adversaries.

Looking at both combatants face to face, the size difference is quite noticeable. “Zurdo” looks like a full-blown Cruiserweight campaigning in the Light Heavyweight Division. Real Talk! Nevertheless, Bivol relishes his odds and can’t wait to go toe to toe with Ramirez, who also feels very confident that he has what it takes to finally dethrone the Light Heavyweight Champion Dmitry Bivol. Gilberto is adamant that his physical attributes, his experience and his own boxing IQ will be enough to do the job on Bivol come Saturday night November 5, 2022, inside that squared circle at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi United Arab Emirates.

The date is set, and the talking is done. It’s time to show up and put out and see who can back it up inside that squared circle.

Blaze