The recent announcement that Billy Joe Saunders would face Shefat Isufi for the vacant WBO super middleweight title appear to be premature after Gilberto Ramirez announced he has not vacated the championship despite planning to have his next fight at light heavyweight.
It was announced last week that Saunders would have the opportunity to become a two-weight world champion with his fight against little-known Isufi set down for Wembley Stadium in London on April 13.
“It is a brilliant opening for me,” said Saunders at the time. “You’ve got these rumours that Andrade is going for shoulder surgery, as well as the financial side of it with the split – it all doesn’t add up.
“Me winning this super middleweight title will put me in a great position for unifications with the likes of Callum Smith, while we’ve got Chris Eubank boxing James DeGale at the weekend.
“There are a lot of big, big fights at this weight, but my real home of homes is middleweight, so I can move down at any time I want and be back as mandatory for my middleweight title and then become a three-time world champion.”
But these plans have been thrown into disarray after Ramirez publicly dismissed the notion he has relinquished his claim to the 168-pound belt. The WBO has since reinstalled him as champion in their ratings.
“I have not vacated the title,” Ramirez told ESTO. “I will fight at 175lbs to see how I feel, I spoke to Paquito [Valcarcel – WBO president], I told him I have an optional fight and he gave me his support.
“We still do not have a confirmed date for this preparation fight at 175lbs, but it could take place in April.
“If a unification with [Callum] Smith or another champion comes up, we will take it and then we would settle in half-full, I would move up after unifying my title, I hope it can happen in the coming months.”
