By Ken Hissner: The former WBO World Super Middleweight champion Mexico’s Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez is looking to improve his record to 43-0 against tough Cuban Yunieski “The Monster” Gonzalez, 24-3 (17), of Miami, FL, at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas, Saturday.
Ramirez is not looking past Gonzalez but is seeking to get a title fight with one of the light heavyweight champions. Holding titles are WBA World champion Dmitry Bivol, 19-0 (11), of Russia, WBC, and IBF World champion Artur Beterbiev, 16-0 (16), of Russia out of Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and WBO World champion Joe Smith, Jr., 27-3 (21), out of Long Island, New York.
Ramirez is fast approaching the late Rocky Marciano’s 49-0 record that was set in 1955 and though broken several times those who passed it went on to be defeated. Currently holding the unbeaten record with the most wins is Floyd “Money” Mayweather’s 50-0 record that was set in his last fight in 2017, retiring after that.
For Ramirez it may take a title win in order for there to be an all-Mexican world title fight with current WBA, WBO, WBC, and IBF World Super Middleweight champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, 57-1-2 (39), who is looking to challenge for a cruiserweight title possibly with WBC champion Ilunga Junior Makabu, 28-2 (25), of South Africa who is scheduled in January for a defense.
Other possibilities for Alvarez are WBA Super World Cruiser champion Arsen “Feroz” Goulamirian, 26-0 (18), of Azerbaijan, who hasn’t fought since 2019. Others holding cruiser titles are IBF champion Mairis Briedis, 28-1 (20), of Latvia, and WBO champion Lawrence “The Sauce” Okolie, 17-0 (14), of the UK, with nothing scheduled for either one.
Alvarez is a four-division world champion who defeated Sergei “Krusher” Kovalev for the WBO light heavyweight title in 2019 but never defended it.
Ramirez heads a list of current unbeaten boxers with at least thirty wins such as WBO welterweight champion Terence “Bud” Crawford 38-0, of the US, former WBO light middleweight champion Jamie Munguia, 38-0, of Mexico, WBC Super bantam champion Rey Vargas, 35-0, of Mexico, WBC middleweight champion Jermall “Hit Man” Charlo, 32-0, of the US, WBO middle champion Demetrius “Boo Boo” Andrade, 31-0, of the US, who may be looking to move up to 168 and challenge Alvarez. Also, WBC super featherweight champion Oscar Valdez, 30-0, of Mexico.
At the rate of fighting once a year in 2019 and 2020 along with twice in 2021, Ramirez could be several years away from challenging Mayweather’s 50-0.