Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez (42-0, 28 KOs) of Mazatlán, Mexico, and his opponent, Cuba’s Yunieski “The Monster” Gonzalez (21-3, 17 KOs), weighed in today ahead of their 12-round clash on Saturday, December 18 live on DAZN. The fighters are scheduled to fight for the WBA Light Heavyweight Title eliminator at AT&T Center in San Antonio, TX.
Weights: Gilberto Ramirez 174.4 vs Yunieski Gonzalez 173.8
Seneisa Estrada 104.6 vs Maria Santizo 103.8
Lamont Roach 129.8 vs Rene Alvarado 129.6
Marlen Esparza 111.6 vs Anabel Ortiz 111.2
Three-time world champion Seniesa “Super Bad” Estrada (21-0, 8 KOs) was also in attendance along with her opponent, the undefeated Maria “La Imparable” Santizo (9-0, 5 KOs) of Guatemala City, Gua. They are set to face off for Estrada’s WBA Minimumweight World title in a 10-round fight.
Lamont Roach, Jr. (21-1-1, 9 KOs) and former world champion Rene “Gemelo” Alvarado (32-10, 21 KOs) was also on-site to talk about their upcoming career-defining 10-round fight for the vacant NABA Super Featherweight championship. 2012 U.S. Olympic Bronze Medal winner and current WBC Flyweight World Champion Marlen Esparza (10-1, 1 KOs) and her opponent, the long-reigning, former two-time world champion, Anabel “Avispa” Ortiz (31-4, 4 KOs) of Mexico City, Mexico were also on hand to discuss their upcoming battle for Esparza’s WBC Flyweight World Championship.
Prospects featured on the Golden Boy Fight Night on Facebook Watch portion of the fight card were also on-site to discuss their upcoming bouts. Fighters in attendance included Luis Hernandez (21-1, 19 KOs), who will face off against Ruslan Madiyev (13-2, 5 KOs) in a 10-round super lightweight bout; and Victor Morales (15-0, 8KOs) will fight Rudy Garcia (12-0, 2 KOs) in an all-out 8-round featherweight clash as both prospects put their undefeated records on the line.
Below are what the fighters had to say about their upcoming fights:
Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez
“Gonzalez is a good challenge for me. This is an eliminator fight. I have been working so hard to get to the world title, and I am ready to go through Yunieski Gonzalez to get there.
“I want the people to know me, and I enjoy, and want to be with the people. I was a little insecure before, but not anymore.
“Boxing is what I want to do for life. Even if I am not in the ring, I want to be in boxing as a promoter. I want to thank Golden Boy Promotions and the whole team for everything they have done for me.
“Before winning the title fights at 168lbs, I felt empty inside. During the shutdown from coronavirus, I started meditation, yoga and found myself. I was in a dark place, and I needed to change that to be the best in boxing. It just took time for me to learn to live with myself.”
Yunieski Gonzalez
“I was surprised Zurdo wanted to fight me. I am happy and grateful for the opportunity as I know Zurdo Ramirez and what a fight with him can offer me.
“Everything is good; we have put in a lot of hard work. I want to thank my team and all the guys in South Florida who helped me with sparring. Everything has been going well, and I want to thank God for this opportunity.”
Seniesa ‘Superbad’ Estrada
“I feel most comfortable at this division. It’s a natural weight class for me. I have faced two great world champions and defeated them both. This has given me confidence in my skills and has prepared me mentally.
“I want to thank Golden Boy Promotions for giving me the platform to represent women’s boxing. We are now co-main, main events, and I want to keep representing women’s boxing as much as I can.”
Maria Santizo
“I want to thank God, Golden Boy Promotions, and my promoter, Rios Promotions, and FercoBox, for this opportunity to fight for the world championship.
“To be a champion, you have to face and beat the champion. I am going to face the world champion and win.
“I have to do what I have to do to win. I have been working very hard to get to this great opportunity, and to be the co-main event is amazing. I know we both have great tools, and we are going to put on a great show.”
Lamont Roach Jr
“I know that Rene is a warrior, and he is going to come with everything, and that is what we are expecting. This is the type of fight I have been asking for.
“This fight will showcase my skill and will prove that I belong on this stage.
“I know he is going to be there to be hit all night; we are not overlooking him. He is a respected former world champion. But all I can say is that I am back and am going for 3-3.”
Rene Alvarado
“I want to thank God for the opportunity. Training camp has been an excellent opportunity to get back to fighting for a world title.
“We are here to do a good job, we are representing Nicaragua, and I am looking forward to bringing a world title back to my country soon.
“We have the ambition and all the desire to get earn a victory on Saturday night.”
Marlen Esparza
“Yes, I am excited about this fight. There is a difference between getting the belt and defending it.
“I am so happy to be defending my world title in Texas for the first time. I am excited to put on a good show.”
Anabel Ortiz
“It’s a new challenge in my career, moving up in weight. I had a great training camp and am well prepared to take on this new challenge.
“Series was a better fighter than me that night. I want to lose against the best that night. That was what happened. But I am always challenging myself to fight the best to be the best.”
Luis Hernandez
“I know this is not an easy fight. I never overlook any fighter. We did a good job at training camp, and it will show on fight night.”
Ruslan Madiyev
“I have been training three months nonstop, and I am ready for this opportunity. I changed coaches and am so happy with my team now. I know I won my last fight, but this is boxing, w; weow that happens sometimes.”
Victor Morales
“I am not surprised he took the fight. We are both young fighters fighting for our first-world title. All I can say is that we are willout there, show a lot of speed, and move forward. We are both young. We are going to put it all the line.”
Rudy Garcia
“I am very excited. I have been working for this opportunity. Any strap, any belt, it’s an honor to fight for it. I come from a family where we don’t back down from any challenge. I am here to take away another 0 from another fighter.”
Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez vs. Yunieski Gonzalez media conference call quotes
Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez, Former World Champion and Undefeated Light Heavyweight Contender:
“I feel stronger at 175, and it feels like my natural weight. You have seen me in three fights already and see how I have performed. I know Gonzalez will be prepared, he is ready to give it his all, so I am I. I want to put on a good show for fight fans on December 18.
“This is an excellent fight for Texas. What better way to end the year in a great battle? Gonzalez is a fighter that comes forward, and so am I. I know there are a lot of Mexican boxing fans in San Antonio; I have fought there before and am thankful to come back to Texas. I know December 18 will be spectacular for all fight fans.
“This is an important fight because it is for a world title eliminator, and I am putting my undefeated record on the line. I am ready to give it my all and not disappoint the fight crowd.
“Gonzalez was a plan for us after Bivol did not want to sign the fight contract. He is scared to fight me that he went to Russia to fight. Yunieski stepped up to take the fight; I have to respect him for that. He knows this is a great opportunity for him. He is coming well prepared to give it his all, and I have to be ready for him. I have to make sure that I am ready because he wants what I have, and this is a big opportunity for both of us.”
Yunieski “The Monster” Gonzalez, Light Heavyweight Contender:
“I was signed with a promotional company and the reasons for why they stopped me from fighting I never understood. I was always in shape. I was always ready for the next fighting opportunity but it never came and they never gave me a response. So I had to look for new opportunities, but I never lost faith that I could come back. Fortunately, I found a new team and have all the motivation to continue with my boxing career and I want to give it my all.
“It’s not a secret that Zurdo is a great fighter, he is in a good position. I am here with hunger and the desire to win. We are closer than ever to get to a new level of my career and I know that the hunger and desire I feel to win are what is going to be the determining factor in this fight.
“Maybe yes, I have been out of the ring for a long time, but I feel good. I have always maintained myself, mostly because of the possibility of landing a fight, but also because it keeps me in good health. When I got this opportunity getting back into fight shape wasn’t so hard. I feel like there is a lot of muscle memory, so getting back into it was easier than I thought I would be, and I am ready to get back into the ring.
“First they have to go through me before they can get to Bivol. People are talking about it, making an assumption about the direction of the fight, and I leave it and don’t say anything. And people forget that this is also an opportunity for me, this is my opportunity to also be in line for Bivol.”
Tickets for Zurdo vs. Gonzalez are on sale now and are priced at $150, $75, $50, $35, and $25 not including applicable service charges. Tickets will be available for purchase at ticketmaster.com or by using the Ticketmaster App on your mobile device.
42-0 Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez marches towards boxing milestone in exclusive 50-0 club
As he marches towards a special boxing milestone, former World Boxing Organization Super Middleweight World Champion Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez (42-0, 28 KOs), now an undefeated world light heavyweight contender, will be fighting Yunieski “The Monster” Gonzalez on December 18th for his 43rd consecutive victory.
BOXING’S 50-0 CLUB
1. Julio “J.C. Cesar Chavez 87 (13 KOs) 1980-1993 México
2. Willie “Wil ‘O The Wisp” Pep 62 (23 KOs) 1940-1943 USA
3. Wanheng Menayothin 54 (18 KOs) 2009-2019 Thailand
4. Carlos “Canas” Zarate 52 (51 KOs) 1970-1978 México
5. Floyd Mayweather, Jr. 50 (27 KOs) 1996-2017 USA
“The 50-0 Club is a very exclusive list I’m proud to be working toward,” Ramirez said. “All fighters go through ups and downs and understand the blood, sweat and tears to achieve anything in this sport. I feel very blessed and fortunate to be in the position I’m in today and I will never stop giving it my all in the sport. Hopefully, when I’m finished, I can leave a legacy in the sport that I can be proud of.”