By Dan Ambrose: In a very odd match-up, middleweight journeyman Gabe Rosado (26-16-1, 15 KOs) will move up in weight two divisions to take on recently beaten Gilberto Ramirez (44-1, 30 KOs) at 175 on March 18th in a Golden Boy-promoted show on DAZN.
The Golden Boy event begins at 8:00 p.m. ET, live on DAZN.
Ramirez vs. Rosado will attract the fans, if for nothing else, because these are two recognizable names, not because the contest is viewed as a competitive one. The fight is a train wreck between two guys that are heading toward Palookaville.
Ramirez needs to move up to cruiserweight already because he’s not going to be able to get away with melting down from the 200s to fight at 175 for too much longer.
How much longer can Ramirez make 175?
It’s fair to say that Ramirez is already showing the effects of the stress he’s putting on his body in dehydrating himself to make weight at 175 because he looked listless, slow, and weak in his last fight against Dmitry Bivol after he made weight and then rehydrated to over 200 lbs for the fight.
The 37-year-old journeyman Rosado, who has seen better days, doesn’t belong anywhere near 175, particularly now after his recent one-sided three defeats at the hands of Jaime Munguia, Shane Mosley Jr, and Ali Akhmedov.
Rosado’s only chance of winning is if he can catch the slow as-molasses lumbering 31-year-old Ramirez with one of his powerful right hand counters that he knocked out Golden Boy prospect Bektemir ‘The Bully’ Melikuziev with in the third round in 2021.
Ramirez used to take a pretty good shot, but he was hurt several times in his last fight in November against Dmitry Bivol. If Bivol had unloaded on Ramirez with combinations as he did against Canelo, he would have knocked him out.
It’s a strange match-up, given that ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez is twice the size of the smallish 5’9″ Rosado, who has lost his last three fights and has looked shot beyond belief.
Gabe hoping to end losing streak
Rosado’s chances of breaking his three-fight losing streak are remote at best. He’s likely to soak up one-way punishment in this 12 round fight at 175 on DAZN.
That’s not to say that the 31-year-old Ramirez is an outstanding fighter, because he’s clearly not, as we witnessed in his recent embarrassingly lopsided decision defeat at the hands of WBA light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol last November in Abu Dhabi.
“I’m looking forward to putting on a show against a very-game veteran like Rosado,” Gilberto Ramirez said. “I feel more motivated today than ever. We may get knocked off our path, but my quest for greatness will never stop. I promise to be back with vengeance. See you guys on March 18th.”
It’s anyone’s guess what Zurdo Ramirez is talking about when he speaks of his “quest for greatness” because it’s clear after his performance against Bivol that he’s going nowhere fast, and he’s not world championship material at 175.
The only reason Ramirez was a world champion at 168 is that he was matched an old shot, former 160-lb belt holder Arthur Abraham in 2016 in a scrap for the WBO super middleweight title.
Once Ramirez won the 168-lb belt, he was spoonfed five tomato cans, which enabled him to hold onto his WBO title until he could no longer make weight for the division and had to move up to 175.
Mexico vs. Puerto Rico
“Zurdo will attempt to make a comeback statement against the certified dream spoiler Gabe Rosado who has derailed the careers of various top fighters,” said Oscar De La Hoya.“This is a dangerous crossroads fight featuring the explosive Mexico vs. Puerto Rico rivalry.”
Ramirez has never been fast of hand during his career, but he’s clearly lost hand speed as he’s reached his 30s, and he’s so incredibly slow now that it’s hard to imagine him competing with anyone at 175.
Although IBF, WBC & WBO light heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev doesn’t possess fast hands, but he’s got the outstanding technique and massive power in either hand. In contrast, Ramirez has terrible skills but good power but nowhere near the level of Beterbiev.
Ramirez’s best bet for winning a world title at light heavyweight is to hang around two or three more years and wait for Beterbiev and Bivol to retire.
Unfortunately, Ramirez probably won’t be able to make the 175-lb limit for too much longer without weakening himself to the point where even the journeymen-level opposition like Rosado beats him.
