After surprising the boxing world last May 7 by defeating Canelo Alvarez, Dmitry Bivol raised his bonuses to the sky. Many fighters, including Canelo, are eager to face him. However, the organization that certifies him as champion, the WBA, has already slapped his hand on the table and told him who he must mandatorily face.
This news did not go down well with Bivol’s promoter, Matchroom Boxing Chairman Eddie Hearn. The British businessman wanted the Russian 175 lbs. champion to face Joshua Buatsi, who has a perfect record in the weight class after 16 fights.
Even so, the WBA did not give in to Hearn’s wishes and Dmitry Bivol already knows the name and nationality of the fighter against whom he will have to defend the world championship he has held since 2017: it is a Mexican, but to Canelo Alvarez’s misfortune, it is not him.
Dmitry Bivol to face another Mexican before Canelo
There is a name that has been in boxing for years now, with important achievements, but without the global recognition that comes hand in hand with the media spotlight. That is Mexican Gilberto Ramirez. The nicknamed Zurdo (Southpaw) is a historic figure for his country because, before Canelo Alvarez, he was the first World Super middleweight champion of that nationality and now he will have the opportunity to become a two-division World Champion when he faces Dmitry Bivol.
Ramirez, 31 years old, is ranked No. 1 in the WBA Light heavyweight division. His record speaks of his boxing ability: 44-0-0, 30 KOs. He invaded 175 pounds in 2019 and since then he has 5 wins there, including wins over then former contender Sullivan Barrera and Dominic Boesel.
Dmitry Bivol will not have it easy against Gilberto Zurdo Ramirez as, unlike Canelo Alvarez, he is a very big man, 6.2 feet / 1.89 cm, and therefore heavy who with one punch can turn the tide of any fight. It remains to be seen if the Russian maintains his unbeaten record and heads for a possible rematch with Canelo, who has to beat first Gennadiy Golovkin, or if Ramirez avenges the Mexican pride.