World Boxing Affiliation (WBA) Tremendous Mild Heavyweight Champion Dmitry Bivol (18-0, 11 KOs) is ghosting undefeated Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez (42-0, 28 KOs), the previous World Boxing Group (WBO) Tremendous Middleweight World title holder.
Possibly Bivol has been too busy to speak as a result of he’s making ready to trick-or-treat this Halloween weekend as a ghost?
No one’s fairly certain, as a result of after repeatedly expressing his need to tackle “Zurdo” in a mega-fight, the Kyrgyzstan native has gone darkish for the previous few months.
“I do know my crew and Golden Boy have been working laborious to make this occur,” Ramirez mentioned. “Now that the contract is out, I don’t know why he’s stalling and backtracking from the combat. He known as me out publicly on social media after my final combat however he’s now silent. A whole lot of fighters discuss the discuss however hardly ever stroll the stroll. I hope he’s not certainly one of them.”
When the pandemic first began, Bivol and Ramirez overtly spoke about combating one another. “Gilberto Ramirez is without doubt one of the high gamers within the gentle heavyweight division,” Bivol mentioned at the moment. “We have now talked about this combat for a very long time. The time has come to convey this to a actuality. We have now skilled collectively and a few sparring as nicely. He’s knowledgeable and a gentleman. An excellent fighter.
“He’s an ex-world champion, he has confirmed to develop into the most effective, fights like this excite the followers. That is what boxing is all about, fighters the place both boxer has a 50-percent probability of being victorious. We’re each on the stage that we will make a dynamic combat.”
Earlier than Ramirez’ final combat, a formidable knockout victory over Sullivan Barrera (22-3, 14 KOs), Bivol wished “Zurdo” good luck on social media in hopes that they may combat later this yr.
Not solely isn’t {that a} actuality at this stage, Bivol has utterly disappeared, like a ghost. His puppet grasp, Matchroom Boxing’s highly effective Eddie Hearn, who controls boxing on DAZN, has since completed all of the speaking for Bivol as if he’s a ventriloquist. The newest information about Bivol, not less than by means of Hearn, is that he’ll possible defend his title towards tremendous middleweight John Ryder (29-5, 16 KOs) in December, after which the carrot was prolonged by Hearn for a dream combat in Might towards boxing’s rainmaker, Saul “Canelo” Alvarez,
No point out of Ramirez by Hearn apart from to say, “Gilberto Ramirez is an efficient combat (for Bivol) as nicely.” It’s price mentioning Hearn uttered Ramirez’ identify solely after Ryder, ‘Canelo,” and even Joshua Buatso and Callum Smith, as potential opponents for Bivol.
The 30-year-old Ramirez is at the moment rated No. 2 by the World Boxing Group (WBO) and No. 4 by the Worldwide Boxing Federation (IBF), in addition to No. 9 in The Ring journal’s unbiased rankings.
Bivol has fought solely as soon as the previous two years, successful an uninspiring 12-round choice towards Craig Richards this previous Might.
Actual fighters combat. They don’t let a Svengali determine resembling Hearn pull their strings. Isn’t it time to man-up and combat the perfect accessible candidate?
Trick-or-treat, Dmitry! It’s time for the ghost to show again right into a fighter.
What are you ready for?
Workforce Ramirez: Is Dmitry Bivol getting used as puppet?
By Zurdo Promotions: Many consider World Boxing Affiliation (WBA) Tremendous Mild Heavyweight Champion Dmitry Bivol (18-0, 11 KOs) is getting used as a puppet by Matchroom Boxing’s Eddie Hearn, stopping undefeated Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez (42-0, 28 KOs) from difficult Bivol in a battle of undefeated, world-class fighters.
“I do know my crew is pushing for this combat however we’ve but to listen to from Dmitry or his crew,” Ramirez mentioned. “I’m undecided if he’s being silenced however he ought to keep in mind that he’s the fighter and the voice to make issues occur. Earlier than my final combat, he yapped and known as for this combat, however is now radio silent. I’m undecided if he wants permission from the higher-ups however, hopefully, he’s not simply getting used as cannon fodder.”
When the pandemic began, Bivol and Ramirez, the previous World Boxing Group (WBO) Tremendous Middleweight World Champion, overtly spoke about combating one another in a serious confrontation.
“Gilberto Ramirez is without doubt one of the high gamers within the gentle heavyweight division,” Bivol mentioned. “We have now talked about this combat for a very long time. The time has come to convey this to a actuality. We have now skilled collectively and a few sparring as nicely. He’s knowledgeable and a gentleman. An excellent fighter.
“He’s an ex-world champion, he has confirmed to develop into the most effective, fights like this excite the followers. That is what boxing is all about, fighters the place both boxer has a 50-percent probability of being victorious. We’re each on the stage that we will make a dynamic combat.”
“I feel this can be a nice combat for boxing,” Ramirez defined, “the sunshine heavyweight division, and finally for the followers. There’s nice historical past in each Mexican and Russian boxing and hopefully that is one thing that brings pleasure again to the sunshine heavyweight division. Past that, I personally consider Bivol is the hardest champion and combat in the meanwhile, and I hope that this caliber combat is the one one I’m in talks for going ahead. Plus, we’ve talked about it for 2 years now, and it’s time to make it occur.
“Bivol is a good fighter and I do know this would be the greatest problem. I’ve seen his sport enhance each time we’ve met within the ring. He does the whole lot nicely. He’s fast on his toes and throws nice combos with energy. On the similar time, he brings a excessive IQ into the ring, which all the time makes it a problem. He’s not world champion by a fluke or design. This man might be probably the most disciplined fighters I’ve seen shortly.”
Earlier than and after Ramirez’ latest knockout victory over Sullivan Barrera (22-3, 14 KOs), Bivol wished Ramirez good luck in hopes that they may combat later this yr, and it gave the impression to be a lock. Abruptly, although, Bivol shifted gears and challenged WBA and WBC Tremendous Middleweight Champion “Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (56-1-2, 38 KOs), at both 168 or 175 kilos. Ramirez understood, realizing “Canelo” is boxing’s rainmaker.
When Bivol realized he wasn’t getting the combat with “Canelo,” as an alternative of then returning his consideration to combating “Zurdo,” he went utterly darkish.
Why? The celebs are aligned and Bivol and Ramirez are each accessible as neither has an upcoming combat lined up, along with each fighters having fought on DAZN, whose purse strings are managed by Hearn.
Out of nowhere, Hearn introduced final week that he desires to match Bivol in October at O2 Enviornment in London, towards tremendous middleweight John Ryder (29-5, 16 KOs), a comparatively obscure southpaw from London, not less than outdoors of the UK, who is meant to be combating David Morrell for the WBA common title. Two fights in the past, Ryder misplaced a 12-round unanimous choice to Callum Smith, and Ryder’s most up-to-date combat was a 10-round unanimous choice win towards any individual named (12-5-1) Mike Man.
Ryder has by no means fought as a light-weight heavyweight and if Bivol was an unbiased thinker, not Hearn’s puppet, he wouldn’t even contemplate combating Ryder, by no means thoughts permit Hearn to grandstand. What would a win over Ryder show? His final challenger, Craig Richards, was undeserving of a world title combat, but Bivol went the gap with him.
No point out of Ramirez!
Hearn even went one step additional, claiming he desires to place Bivol in towards 2016 Olympic bronze medalist Joshua Buatsi (15-0, 13 KOs) subsequent March.
No point out of Ramirez, or course!
The 30-year-old Ramirez is at the moment rated No. 2 by the World Boxing Group (WBO) and No. 5 by the Worldwide Boxing Federation (IBF), in addition to No. 9 in The Ring unbiased rankings.
True superstars in boxing want epic fights and rivalries to safe their place in boxing historical past. In that respect, Bivol and Ramirez have to combat one another, as a result of each fighters have defeated just one world champion every, Jean Pascal for Bivol, Arthur Abraham for “Zurdo.”
Boxing followers are all the time clamoring for blockbuster match-ups. Bivol and Ramirez are a mixed 60-0 (39 KOs), world champions, and have fought on DAZN. There’s no good cause for Bivol vs. “Zurdo” to not occur, until Hearn pulls Bivol’s puppet strings in a special course.
“I’d be shocked if Bivol appears for an additional opponent,” Ramirez concluded. “That is the combat followers are searching for! On the finish of the day, I do know he’s a very good fighter and hopefully he stands by what he says.”
Isn’t it time for Bivol to talk for himself and demand that Hearn make a historic match towards “Zurdo?”
