Undefeated former WBO super middleweight champion Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez has called out Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev after his 10th round knockout of teak-tough Alfonso Lopez at the Galveston Island Convention Center in Galveston, Texas on Saturday night.
The 29-year-old Ramirez 41-0 (27) from Mazatlan in Sinaloa, Mexico, was having just his second fight at light heavyweight following his fourth-round knockout of Tommy Karpency in Los Angeles in April last year.
Now the rangy southpaw believes he is ready for the best at 175-pounds, including WBA champion Bivol 17-0 (11) and WBC and IBF champion Beterbiev 15-0 (15).
“I want Dmitry Bivol, I want Artur Beterbiev,” said Ramirez, the WBC number one, WBA number four and WBO number eight light heavyweight contender after the fight. “I want them all. I will beat them. I will beat them all. You will see.”
In his first bout in 20 months Ramirez had Lopez 32-4 (25) on the deck as early as the second round before methodically breaking down the 38-year-old from Texas en route to a late stoppage.
The end came courtesy of a right hook from Ramirez that sent Lopez crashing heavily to the canvas. Referee Jay Nady didn’t bother with a count, waving off the fight at the 0:59 mark.
“I felt great,” Ramirez said. “I was gone for [more than] a year and now I’m back.”
In the main support bout heavyweight contender Michael ‘The Bounty’ Hunter 18-1-1 (13) needed just four rounds to knockout Midwest southpaw Shawn Laughery 10-4 (6).
The 32-year-old from Las Vegas was coming off a split draw against perennial contender Alexander Povetkin one year ago. The Russian veteran knocked out WBC number one contender Dillian Whyte in five rounds in August.
“I would like to fight Dillian Whyte,” said Hunter. “They’ve been saying he’s the boogeyman. I guess I out-boogeyed the boogeyman. I called out Dillian Whyte, I even offered to step in on short notice for this next fight. I fought to a draw with Alexander Povetkin. He got knocked out by Povetkin.”
