WBO super middleweight champion Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez 39-0 (25) is ready to move up in weight and has recently crowned WBC light heavyweight champion Oleksandr Gvozdyk 16-0 (13) in his sights.
The undefeated Mexican made the comments in the wake of his close points decision over mandatory contender Jesse ‘Hollywood’ Hart 25-2 (21) in their rematch at the American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, Texas on Friday night.
Hart lost a close but competitive decision to Ramirez for the second time, going down by majority decision 114-114, 115-113 and 115-113 after the champion injured his elbow in the eighth round and had to fight largely one-handed for the last four rounds.
Despite fighting with one arm Ramirez battered Hart around the ring for much of the twelfth and final round before Hart hurt him late, forcing the champion to hang on to survive.
“I won every round. I beat him clearly again,” said Ramirez, 27, after the fight. “I hurt my elbow in the eighth round, but if I didn’t hurt my elbow, I would’ve knocked him out. I am going to 175. I am ready to challenge Gvozdyk.”
The 29-year-old challenger from Philly, who lost a unanimous decision to Ramirez by scores of 114-113, 115-112 and 115-112 last year, disputed the result.
“It was no contest,” he said. “I did everything to win this fight. Gilberto is a great fighter, and I have a lot of respect for him. He did have a great 12th round, but I came back to hurt him as well.”
Gvozdyk won the WBC 175-pound crown in tragic circumstances when he stopped boxing’s longest reigning champion Adonis ‘Superman’ Stevenson 29-2-1 (24) by KO in the eleventh round earlier this month. The 41-year-old Haiti-born Canadian was taken to hospital immediately after the fight where he remains in a coma.
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