By Mark Eisner: Former WBO super middleweight champion Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez (42-0, 28 KOs) destroyed Sullivan Barrera (22-4, 14 KOs) by a fourth round knockout on Friday night in their headliner at the Banc of California Stadium, Los Angeles, CA.
Ramirez, 30, dropped the 39-year-old Cuban power puncher Barrera three times with hard body shots.
Once Ramirez realized that Barrera couldn’t take it to the body, continued to hit him with those shots. After the third liver shot that dropped Barrera, the referee Thomas Taylor halted the flight.
Zurdo Ramirez calls out Dimitry Bivol
“Bivol, you’re next,” said Ramirez in calling out WBA light heavyweight champion Dimitry Bivol.
“I was training all the time for that shot,” Zurdo said about his body shots. “This is my division, I want to take all the belts. You have to ask him [Bivol] if he’s ready for me.”
Joseph ‘Jo-Jo’ Diaz Jr (32-1-1, 15 KOs) defeated former WBA super featherweight champion Javier Fortuna (36-3-1, 25 KOs) by a 12 round unanimous decision in a WBC 135-lb title eliminator match.
The scores were 116-111, 117-110, 115-112. Boxing News 24 had it 116-111.
“Ryan Garcia, Devin Haney, let’s make this happen,” said Diaz Jr after the fight in calling out both of them.
Diaz, 28, lost a point for hitting behind the head in the fourth round by referee Raul Caaiz Jr.
Diaz Jr had been warned on two occasions before that time. Fortuna had been hitting behind the head as well, but Jo-Jo was the one that lost a point.
Earlier in the fight, Diaz Jr suffered a cut over his left eye from a clash of heads in the third round. However, his team did an excellent job of controlling the bleeding.
In the 10th round, Diaz Jr hurt Fortuna with a flurry of shots late. In the 11th and 12th, Diaz Jr did just enough to get the better of the arm-weary Fortuna.
You can argue this fight should have been the main event rather than the Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez vs. Sullivan Barrera clash.
With the victory, Diaz Jr is now the mandatory for WBC lightweight champion Devin Haney. Diaz Jr says he wants Haney or Ryan Garcia next.
Fighting Ryan would arguably be the bigger fight and the better money for Diaz Jr.
Undercard results
- In an exciting fight, Seniesa “Superbad” Estrada (21-0, 8 KOs) defeated women’s WBO world light flyweight champion Tenkai Tsunami (28-13-1, 16KO) by a 10 round unanimous decision. The scores were 99-91, 98-92, and 98-92.
- Naoko Fujioka MD 10 Sulem Urbina Ochoa
- Azat Hovhannisyan UD 10 Jose Santos Gonzalez
- Bryan Chevalier UD 10 James Wilkins
- Lamont Roach KO 2 Daniel Rosas
- Sparkinson Wilson Castillo KO 2 Miguel Contreras
- Mihai Nistor KO 2 Colby Madison
- Gregory Morales UD 6 Rodrigo Guerrero
- Miguel Gaona UD 4 Gilberto Aguilar
Preview
This is the third official fight at 175 for the 30-year-old Zurdo, who vacated his WBO 168-lb title in 2018, and he’s been slowly but surely working his way towards a title shot at light heavyweight.
Now promoted by Golden Boy Promotions, the 6’2″ Ramirez needs a solid win tonight to show the boxing world that he’s for real at light heavyweight.
Start time for Zurdo vs. Barrera card?
The Gilberto Ramirez vs. Sullivan Barrera card starts at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.
Zurdo Ramirez was previously promoted by Top Rank, who guided him to a world title. In a questionable move, Ramirez left that company and signed with Golden Boy. Tonight, he’ll be fighting for the first time with his new promoters.
In the co-feature bout. Joseph Jr will be battling Javier Fortuna in a WBC 135-lb title eliminator. The winner will be mandatory for WBC lightweight champion Devin Haney.
How to watch Gilberto Ramirez vs. Sullivan Barrera?
Boxing fans can tune in to watch the Ramirez vs. Barrera card live on DAZN. Ramirez faces the tough 39-year-old Cuban power-puncher Barrera in a fight that is expected to be a war.
Although Barrera is coming into this fight, having lost two out of his last three contests, he’s still plenty tough. Only four years ago, Barrera defeated Joe Smith Jr, who now holds the WBO 175-lb title.
“I feel really nice. My body is not depleted; I feel strong,” said Joseph Diaz Jr to Fighthype. “And I had a really good training camp; I covered all the bases making sure my body is filled out at 130 lbs.”
“I gained more strength, and my conditioning and endurance are A-1. I’m excited, and I can’t wait to show out.
“I’m taking a tough challenge at 130 lbs. This is not an easy challenge. I’m facing a guy that a lot of fighters are ducking and fearing.
Full card for tonight’s DAZN show
- Zurdo Ramirez (vs Sullivan Barrera
- Joseph Diaz Jr vs. Javier Fortuna
- Tenkai Tsunami vs. Seniesa Estrada
- Hector Tanajara Jr vs William Zepeda
“This guy [Fortuna] is a boogeyman, but I’m going up to face him at 135 lbs, and it’s his weight, and I plan on going out there and stopping him. I ready to go out there and make a statement,” said Diaz Jr.
“I got to focus on Javier Fortuna. I’m looking to beat the s*** out of Javier Fortuna and then focus on getting some big fights at 135.
“He’s a dangerous fighter, don’t get me wrong. I’m not underestimating him. I’m confident in my abilities and how smoothly training camp has went.
“This has probably been the best training camp I’ve ever had, probably better than Tevin Farmer’s training camp.
“My body doesn’t feel depleted, and I’m just excited and ready to go, especially with it out here in LA.
“Just the energy and the atmosphere inside the ring is going to give me that extra boost to come out there and put on a specular performance,” Diaz Jr said.
Jo Jo Diaz Jr wants Tank and Ryan Garcia
“If I get the Gervonta Davis or Ryan Garcia at 135, I’d love to take on those challenges,” said Jo Jo Diaz. “I’d love to compete at 135.
“I want people to see how good I am at 135. I honestly feel like this is the weight that I’m comfortable at with my weight, my power, and my speed is all going to be there.
“As I said, I can move down 130 too; it just depends on the fight. I still want to fight Oscar Valdez, Jamel Herring, and there’s Shakur Stevenson as well that is making major noise at 130 lbs.
“He’s a really good fighter, and it’s a good fight for the fight fans. If those opportunities are there, let’s make it happen,” said Diaz Jr.