By Dan Ambrose: Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez’s win tonight over Joe Smith Jr. has inspired him enough to call out Dmitry Bivol for a rematch and Canelo Alvarez if he’s willing to come up to 190 lbs to fight him.
It’s safe to say Canelo will pass up Ramirez’s invitation, and the same applies to Bivol, who schooled him last November in a fight that was so one-sided that there’s no way any promoter would waste time in making a rematch.
Ramirez (45-1, 30 KOs) defeated former WBO light heavyweight champion Smith Jr. (28-5, 22 KOs) by a ten round unanimous decision on Saturday night, using a safety-first style that had previously been alien to his way of fighting through most of his career.
But tonight, Ramirez really boring, and shocking how he’s changed his once entertaining style into that of a cautious fighter. Ramirez beat Joe Smith Jr by the scores 99-91, 99-91 and 99-91.
Ramirez calls out Canelo & Bivol
“Of course, he upset my ego and my soul. As a Mexican, I want a rematch. I want to beat him, and I want to be my best,” said Gilberto Ramirez to the media tonight when asked if he wants a rematch with Dmitry Bivol after beating Joe Smith Jr.
Should Bivol give Ramirez a rematch?
Bivol stands to gain nothing from fighting Ramirez again because there’s no public demand in seeing a rematch, and Zurdo’s new ultra-cautious fighting style is not an improvement in his game. If he runs from Bivol, he’ll lose again, and it’ll be just as one-sided.
“I don’t need to look bad. I need to look forward to beyond. Whoever is in front, I need to beat the guy,” Gilberto continued. “I wish him nothing but the best. He’s a great fighter, a great champion [Bivol], and he needs to keep working & fighting for anyone.
“I think he’ll come up [to cruiserweight] eventually. I don’t see any point in coming back [to light heavyweight] if they don’t give me a good fight, I don’t need to do it. But if they give me a good fight, it’ll be good.
“Anyone, I want all the champions. I want to be the first Mexican cruiserweight champion, and that’s my goal. That’s what I’m working for.
“Eventually, if he wants. Two Mexicans in the ring, that’s a war,” said Gilberto when asked if he’d like to fight Canelo Alvarez. “Marquez, Barrera, all of them. It’s a great fight. All the fans want to see two Mexicans in the ring all the time,” said Ramirez.
