Gilberto Ramirez and Chris Billiam-Smith meet in the main event on Saturday, November 16, in a cruiserweight unification fight in Riyadh on Latino Night. WBO champion Billiam-Smith (20-1, 13 KOs), 34, will face Ramirez (46-1, 30 KOs) in a 12-round fight, with the winner possibly facing IBF’s Jai Opetaia. in the next three-band combination.
(Credit Golden Boy / Cris Esqueda)
Huggers Battle In Main Event
Zurdo Ramirez and Billiam-Smith are under a lot of pressure to perform, as they are not known for their entertaining style. 34-year-old Billiam-Smith is lanky and doesn’t have much energy.
His recent fights have been a lot of fun to watch, but not nearly as bad as Zurdo’s in that regard. Both of these you call’They don’t deny me,’ and it’s poison to the eyes of casual fans. I absolutely hate this war with all my soul. I wish it, send it to the center of Sagittarius A.
The undercard fights are great, but the Ramirez-Billiam-Smith fight seems out of place. If it was me shooting Golden Boy, I’d bury it and focus on promoting other fights.
The winner of the Ramirez vs. Billiam-Smith is seen as the next victim IBF champions Jai Opetaiaof another level, more capable and wiser than any of these boys. What we see on Saturday night is that Opetaia’s next victim has been decided, and that takes away a lot of interest.
Golden Boy put this fight in the spotlight because of the unification, but it is a match that did not attract American fans, who still remember Ramirez from his one-sided loss to Dmitry Bivol in 2022.
It would be wise to put Ramirez vs. Billiam-Smith on the undercard below these fights:
- William Zepeda vs. Tevin Farmer
- Oscar Duarte vs. Botirzhon Akhmedov
- Jose Ramirez vs. Arnold Barboza Jr.
Although Ramirez, 33, has reinvented himself, winning his last two tournaments, he has adopted a boring, exciting hit-and-walk style. Obviously, Ramirez had no choice because he didn’t have the power to stand up and sell at cruiserweight like he did at 175 and 168.
Golden Boy promoter Oscar De La Hoya is there trying to turn Ramirez into a starbut it won’t happen. He is a 15-year professional who is about to turn 34. If Ramirez hasn’t reached stardom yet, he never will.
Southpaw Ramirez has won his last two fights, defeating 36-year-old WBA cruiserweight champion Arsen Goulamirian via a 12-round unanimous decision on March 30 for a two-division world title against Joe Smith Jr.
Chris Billiam-Smith’s latest win
Richard Riakporhe
Mateusz Masternak
Lawrence Okolie
Isaac Chamberlain
“In the middle of the bill, you have two of the best cruiserweights in the world right now going up against two of the most likely #1 cruiserweights in the world. That’s Jai Opetaia who will be watching this fight,” said analyst Chris Mannix on DAZN Boxing, talking about Saturday’s fight between WBC champion Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez and WBO’s Chris Billiam-Smith in the main event.
“Zurdo has done something impressive in a short period of time, winning a world title in only his second fight at a weight class. [against 36-year-old WBA cruiserweight champion Arsen Goulamirian on March 30, 2024].
Why Zurdo’s Career Didn’t Bloom
– A weak resume
– Impotence
– No charisma
– Failure to read English well
– Boring fighting style
“Chris Billiam-Smith is a career cruiserweight who is starting to make a name for himself. [at 34]. These two fighters are great. There will be a big clash of styles,” said Mannix.
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