An enormous unification bout is in play for Golden Boy’s first unique Riyadh Season present.
The Ring has confirmed that Chris Billam-Smith and Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez are in superior talks for a WBO/WBA cruiserweight title struggle. Ought to the 2 come to phrases, the struggle will headline the Nov. 16 “Latinos Night time in Riyadh Season” present presently within the works.
England’s Billam-Smith (20-1, 13 knockouts) holds the WBO belt and is The Ring’s No. 1-rated cruiserweight. Mexico’s Ramirez (46-1, 30 KOs) is the WBA titlist and rated No. 3 by The Ring.
One hurdle cleared to assist transfer alongside the matchup was the matter of Ramirez’s necessary title protection. Former two-time titleholder Yuniel Dorticos (27-2, 25 KOs) is the No. 1-ranked WBA contender and ordered to enter talks with Ramirez’s workforce. The 2 sides failed to succeed in a deal however had been capable of finding frequent floor and keep away from a handbag bid listening to.
That frequent floor was Dorticos agreeing to step apart altogether. A report from El Nuevo Herald’s Jorge Ebro confirmed that Dorticos accepted a monetary package deal to face down from the struggle.
The association allowed Ramirez and his workforce to maneuver ahead with the division’s first unification bout since 2018.
There stays work forward to finalize phrases, which places each fighters in danger ought to a deal fall by means of.
Ramirez lifted the WBA title from then-unbeaten Arsen Goulamirian (27-0, 18 KOs on the time). The win noticed the Mexican southpaw change into a two-division titlist on March 30 in Inglewood, California. He beforehand held the WBO tremendous middleweight title from 2016-2019.
A transfer as much as mild heavyweight resulted in Ramirez’s lone profession defeat, a Nov. 2022 factors loss to WBA titlist Dmitry Bivol (23-0, 12 KOs).
Two wins have adopted however none since his title lifting-effort over Goulamirian.
Bournemouth’s Billam-Smith claimed the WBO cruiserweight title in a rousing 12-round upset win over then-unbeaten Lawrence Okolie. The battle of former coaching stablemates noticed ‘CBS’ ground Okolie 3 times to win the belt final Could 27 in his hometown.
Two profitable defenses have adopted. Included amongst them was Billam-Smith’s factors win over unbeaten Richard Riakporhe (17-0 on the time). Their June 15 Sky Sports activities/Peacock+ principal occasion noticed Billam-Smith avenge his lone profession defeat, and on the street at Selhurst Park in London.
Billam-Smith was beforehand in talks with RING/IBF champion Jai Opetaia. Their bout would have landed on the Oct. 12 Riyadh Season occasion however the two sides had been unable to return to phrases. Sydney’s Opetaia (25-0, 19 KOs) will as a substitute face England’s Jack ‘One Smack’ Massey (22-2, 12 KOs) on the present in Riyadh.
The deliberate present will mark the primary true Riyadh Season occasion the place Golden Boy will function the lead promoter. The Riyadh group headed by Saudi authorities advisor Turki Alalshikh sponsored Golden Boy’s Aug. 10 DAZN present in Las Vegas.
Alalshikh, chairman of the nation’s Basic Leisure Authority, introduced that the Nov. 16 present might be Riyadh Season’s first standalone non-Pay-Per-View occasion. The choice was made after a dialog with Corridor of Famer and GBP chairman Oscar De La Hoya.
“We had an extended speak,” famous Alalshikh. “[T]herefore i made a decision the cardboard of Latinos Night time in Riyadh Season with our associate Golden Boy might be free on TV networks and platforms all all over the world. [Any] TV community or platform and cable TV on this occasion kindly join with us in Riyadh Season and Sela [especially] in Mexico and South America. We care about boxing followers for that this card free.”
I simply hanged up the cellphone with my pal Oscar De La Hoya … We had an extended speak due to this fact i made a decision the cardboard of Latinos Night time in Riyadh Season with our associate Golden Boy might be free on TV networks and platforms all all over the world … any TV community or platform and cable TV on this occasion kindly join with us in Riyadh Season and Sela specialy in Mexico and south America … we care about boxing followers for that this card free
— TURKI ALALSHIKH (@Turki_alalshikh) September 3, 2024
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