Latest news with #YunielDorticos
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Paul vs. Chavez results: Gilberto 'Zurdo' Ramirez retains cruiserweight belts vs. Yuniel Dorticos, calls for Jai Opetaia unification fight
Gilberto 'Zurdo' Ramirez is still a champion, with an even bigger fight ahead of him. The WBA and WBO cruiserweight champion handled mandatory challenger Yuniel Dorticos via unanimous decision (115-112, 115-112, 117-110) on Saturday, improving his record to 48-1. The win sets up a potential unification fight against the other top cruiserweight in the world, IBF champion Jai Opetaia. Advertisement Ramirez said he would welcome the fight while speaking with Uncrowned's Ariel Helwani after the match: "Yeah, that's the fight that I want. I'm the king. Numero uno ... I want it. I want it all. Get ready." Also looming was the main attraction of the night: Jake Paul, who is targeting a cruiserweight world title shot in 2026 and has said that his team is in discussions to challenge either Ramirez or WBC titleholder Badou Jack. Ramirez entered the fight heavily favored to defend his belts, but the proceedings were more even than expected. Dorticos won a few of the early rounds and was on pace for the upset of the night before Ramirez adjusted, circling his opponent more and landing a series of 1-2s in the later rounds. Ramirez clearly held the advantage on the scorecards, especially because Dorticos lost a point after the ref took a point away when he landed three straight low blows after multiple warnings. For full coverage of Paul vs. Chavez Jr., including live results, play-by-play and highlights of the entire Jake Paul vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. pay-per-view card, check out Uncrowned's Paul vs. Chavez hub.
The Sun
a day ago
- Sport
- The Sun
Jake Paul vs Julio Cesar Chavez Jr LIVE RESULTS: Card on NOW, fight updates and time as Problem Child returns
Paul next? The big world title fight between Zurdo Ramirez Yuniel Dorticos will not only hold interest for boxing fans, but for fans of Jake Paul. Should the Problem Child win, tboth the WBA and WBC will rank him in the top 15 - making him a potential future opponent for Ramirez. "If I'm open, after this fight,' Ramirez said when asked about a fight with Paul. "I need to win. He needs to win. That's fine for me." Should he win, though, Ramirez could also turn his attention to unifying the division, where other belts are currently held by 41-year-old WBC champion Badou Jack and the imposing and undefeated IBF champ Jai Opetaia. Ramirez said: "This fight first, then anyone. If I can get all the belts, let's do it.' He also added he doesn't foresee any problems dealing with Dorticos' power. The Cuban is nicknamed Dr KO after reeling off 25 knockouts in 27 wins. 'I think I can take punches," Ramirez added, "I have the skill to beat this guy. "I'm going to prove I'm the best in this division. That's why I'm putting my belts on the line – to prove I'm the best cruiserweight. "I expect a war. I expect he's really prepared. Everyone will see why 'Zurdo' Ramirez is the champion. I'll be prepared for Dr. KO."
The Independent
5 days ago
- Sport
- The Independent
Zurdo Ramirez and Jai Opetaia are on a cruiserweight collision course
Gilberto 'Zurdo' Ramirez will return to the ring to defend his WBO and WBA cruiserweight titles this weekend, against Yuniel Dorticos as chief support to Jake Paul vs Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. This fight will have big implications for the future unification of the cruiserweight division – if Ramirez successfully defends his belts, then a massive fight with the IBF and Ring champion Jai Opetaia is surely next. • Jake Paul vs Julio Cesar Chavez Jr will stream live exclusively on DAZN pay-per-view this Saturday (28 June). Buy the PPV now, here. The two have been circling each other since Ramirez became unified champion against Chris Billam-Smith last year, and both have expressed interest in making the fight. Opetaia called Ramirez out after handily dispatching Claudio Squeo earlier this month, saying: 'Next fight, Zurdo Ramirez. He's mentioned me, he's told me he will fight me next after his mandatory. Let's get it on, I'm chasing that belt, let's go.' If this fight is made, it will put the victor on a path to becoming the undisputed champion in a division that has been in flux since the departure of Oleksandr Usyk. Who was the last undisputed cruiserweight champion? The only man in the four-belt era to bring the cruiserweight division under singular reign is Oleksandr Usyk. The Ukrainian took 10 fights to acquire his first world title, then swept up the rest of the division in only five fights, beating Krysztof Glowacki, Mairis Briedis and Murat Gassiev. Usyk defended his undisputed championship once against Tony Bellew, whom he knocked out in the eighth round. He then vacated his titles in search of glory at heavyweight, where he also became undisputed. Since Usyk handed back his cruiserweight belts, only one man has held two titles simultaneously: Ramirez. Preceding that, the cruiserweight division was fractured and the champions scattered. Where are the belts now? To become an undisputed champion, one must possess all four of the major organisations' (WBC, WBO, WBA and IBF) belts. At 200lb, the belts are split between three champions: Opetaia, Ramirez and Badou Jack. Ramirez holds the WBO and WBA titles. He first acquired the WBA belt in March last year, beating Aren Goulamirian to become the first Mexican cruiserweight champion. Chris Billam-Smith was next to the sword, as Ramirez beat the Briton across 12 rounds to take his WBO title. Opetaia holds the IBF belt, and the Aussie is technically a two-time cruiserweight champion. He first acquired the belt in 2022, beating Mairis Briedis via unanimous decision before getting stripped by the IBF in 2023 and was forced to fight Briedis again to reacquire the vacant strap. Badou Jack is the WBC champion, meanwhile. The Swede beat Ilunga Makabu in 2023 and was made champion in recess later that year when he wanted to make a move to bridgerweight. He was reinstated as full champion at the end of 2024, taking the belt from Noel Mikaelian, whom he fought in May this year, retaining his title via majority decision. How could Opetaia or Ramirez become the next undisputed champion? If a fight between Opetaia and Ramirez is next, Ramirez will first have to defeat Dorticos, which is no easy task. The Cuban is a former IBF champion and has fought some of the best cruiserweights of this era, including Breidis, Gassiev and Mateusz Masternak. Opetaia has held up his end of the bargain, easily defending his title against Squeo, and has made his intentions clear: he is happy to wait for Ramirez. There is another roadblock in the form of the WBC, which has ordered an immediate rematch between Jack and Mikaelian after the result of their fight earlier this year was appealed by Mikaelian and his team, who believed he was not given a fair shake on the scorecards. This makes becoming the undisputed champion a challenge of patience just as much as a challenge of boxing ability. With Opetaia potentially eyeing a move to heavyweight and rumours circulating of Ramirez fighting Jake Paul, both men will be hoping to consolidate the division sooner rather than later.
