Zurdo vs. Boesel is a 12-round light heavyweight fight for the WBA Light Heavyweight Final Eliminator presented by Golden Boy in association with Zurdo Promotions and SES Boxing. The fight will take place on Saturday, May 14, at the Toyota Arena in Ontario, CA and will be streamed live exclusively on DAZN worldwide.
Weights: Gilberto Ramirez 174.8 vs. Dominic Boesel 174.2
William Zepeda 134.4 vs. Rene Alvarado 134.6
John Ramirez 114.6 vs. Jan Salvatierra 114.6
Katsuma Akitsugi 124.6 vs. Jose Gonzalez 125.8
Former World Super Middleweight Champion and top light heavyweight contender, Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez (43-0, 39 KOs), is fully focused on his May 14th opponent, German Dominic Boesel (32-2, 12 KOs), not the winner of this week’s fight between Zurdo’s fellow countryman, Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, and World Boxing Association (WBA) Super Light Heavyweight Champion Dmiity Bivol.
If Zurdo defeats Boesel in their 12-round main event match, the reigning International Boxing Organization (IBO) Light Heavyweight World titleholder and WBA No. 1 rated contender, No. 2 ranked Ramirez will be positioned to challenge the Alvarez-Bivol winner. But he needs to get past Boesel to force his long-sought world light heavyweight title fight against Canelo of Bivol.
“Zurdo vs. Boesel,” presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Zurdo Promotions and SES Boxing, will stream live and exclusively on DAZN from Toyota Arena in Ontario, California.
“Whatever happens,” Ramirez said about the Canelo vs. Bivol fight, “I’ll be ready for the winner of that fight. Both are great fighters, but I’m ready to beat both.
“I expect an all-out fight (vs. Boesel). This is a life-changing fight for him, so I’m prepared for anything he throws at me. My team has been getting me ready and I have full confidence I will be the victor come fight night.”
Ramirez has several advantages over Boesel: higher quality experience, the fact Boesel has never fought outside of Europe, his hometown advantage with the fight in his adopted home and his Mexican fans coming out in force.
“I’m the best in the world and will always have the advantage,” Ramirez added. “But I still can’t take him (Boesel) lightly. He’s a longtime pro who knows how to take advantage of the moment.
“It’s convenient for me (fighting in the LA area), but at the end of the day it’s a fight. To me, it doesn’t matter if it’s held in Zurich, Frankfurt, Tokyo, or Mexico, I can fight anywhere. I don’t worry about the other fights (in southern California the same day – Charlo-Castano in Carson, Kovalev-Pulev in Inglewood). I’m just focused on my fight, and I know that come fight night, my fans and all my Mexican people will be with me.”
GILBERTO “ZURDO” RAMIREZ, UNDEFEATED FORMER WORLD CHAMPION AND LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT CONTENDER:
“It’s a pleasure to work with Golden Boy. I found a family with them. I am very excited to be busy this year and to be able to keep working. As Eric said, I am knocking on the door of a title fight, and staying busy is best. I also want to stay busy to break Mayweather’s record (50-0) record. Eventually, the big fights will happen; it’s just taking time.”
“I am looking for an early knockout. I have been putting in a lot of work in this training camp, more than in any other camp. I have put everything I can into my hands, and I can’t wait for everyone to see us in action on May 14.”
“I have to knock out other fighters and put on a good show to get the big fights and get a chance at the champions. I have to knock out all these guys to show that I am ready for big challenges and big opportunities.”
“Boesel is a complicated fighter, he likes to come forward all the time, and I know he will be a challenge for me because he is the #1 light heavyweight fighter for the WBA. So I don’t take him lightly. But I know I have better boxing quality and abilities, and I have more intelligence in the ring. I know I will knock him out.”
“We are looking for the big fights. I have to go through some fighters first. I know the fights are going to happen. Everyone is busy with other fights, but I know these fights will happen this year.”
DOMINIC BOESEL, FORMER WBA INTERIM LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION:
“I am always training. I am always in shape. I have always told my team that I would be available if there is a big fight in the states, so I feel very prepared.”
“I am familiar with Zurdo because of his fight against Abraham. I know he is an undefeated fighter with a high amount of knockouts. I feel good because I don’t feel under pressure at this moment. Before, I felt pressure because I was the guy with the belt. Now I understand that I am the underdog and feel comfortable with that role, and we will look to surprise everyone on May 14.”
“I am tall. I have distance, and I am able to read my opponent. I can change my style when needed, and I feel that with my boxing skills, I can defeat Ramirez.”
“First of all, I am ranked #1 by the WBA in the light heavyweight division, and Ramirez is ranked #2. I know that there will be a lot of Mexican fans at the venue, and there will be some big hype around Ramirez. Mostly, I feel that considering the experience in the last few fights of Ramirez’s career, this fight will push him. I am not afraid if the audience is against me.”
WILLIAM “CAMARON” ZEPEDA, WBA CONTINENTAL AMERICAS LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMPION:
“I am very thankful for the opportunity. I know Rene is a strong, experienced fighter, and I feel very prepared for this fight.”
“In my last fight, I was originally scheduled for another fighter, but the fighter dropped a week before the event. Typically, I don’t like to take fights on short notice, but I had committed to the event and wanted to see it through. The fighter came out of nowhere. He was sloppy. He came forward with his head, and my main concern was not getting cut or injured during that fight. Yes, I was frustrated about the whole thing, but you learn from these experiences.”
“We are looking for big fights and world championship events. This fight is a big opportunity for me. Rene is a former world champion, he has the experience, and both our styles will make for a great event. The pandemic held us back for a bit, but fortunately, we have stayed busy and ready for whatever comes after this fight. The first thing is we hope that god willing, things come out in our favor on May 14.”
“I want to give the fans a show, make it worth their ticket purchase. I also always want to show the fans what I am made of. This is the biggest fight of my career. Rene is a strong, hungry fighter, and I know that fans will enjoy our fan-friendly style on fight night.”
RENE “GEMELO” ALVARADO, FORMER WORLD CHAMPION AND LIGHTWEIGHT CONTENDER:
“First of all, I am grateful to god for my good health and this new opportunity. This is a very important fight for me after losing three straight fights. I know that Zepeda is a high-caliber fighter, and defeating him would be a big boost to my career.”
“You can’t compare two fights; they will never look the same. Gutierrez is more of a boxer, whereas Zepeda is a more come-forward type of fighter. I know both our styles will meet for a fan-friendly event. I know we will both go into the ring ready to come forward and give it our all. We are just hoping that we will positively result on fight night.”
“The love for the sport keeps me motivated. It gives me the will to continue even after my losses. This is one of the biggest opportunities of my career. If I can defeat Zepeda, it will invigorate my career.”
Credential applications for Zurdo vs. Boesel are now open. The application can be accessed by going on to: https://www.emcevents.com/zurdoboesel.html. Approvals will begin on Wednesday, May 4 and APPLICATIONS WILL CLOSE ON FRIDAY, MAY 6th!!
Tickets for Zurdo vs Boesel are on sale now and are priced at $150, $75, $50 and $25 not including applicable service charges. Tickets will be available for purchase at Ticketmaster.com, Toyota-arena.com, Goldenboypromotions.com or the Toyota Arena box office Monday through Friday from 12:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Zurdo vs. Boesel is a 12-round light heavyweight fight presented by Golden Boy in association with Zurdo Promotions and SES Boxing. The event is sponsored by Hennessy “Never Stop. Never Settle” and “BetOnline – Your Online Sportsbook Experts.” The fight will take place on Saturday, May 14, at the Toyota Arena in Ontario, CA and will be streamed live exclusively on DAZN worldwide.