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Nick Parkinson
Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez cruised to a comfortable, unanimous decision over Chris Billam-Smith to become unified world cruiserweight champion Saturday.
Former world super middleweight champion Ramirez had boxed only twice before at 200 pounds, but he was technically too good for Billam-Smith at The Venue in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The Mexican southpaw earned scores of 116-112, 116-112 and 116-113 in a first defense of his WBA title while also capturing Billam-Smith’s WBO belt in a Riyadh Season “Latino Night” card.
Others will have viewed Ramirez a winner by a wider margin as Billam-Smith never looked like he would ruin the promotion’s aim to be a celebration of Latino boxing talent. Ramirez was too accurate and his movement too slick for Billam-Smith to get a foothold in the fight.
Ramirez (47-1, 30 KOs), 33, from Sinaloa, Mexico, made history by becoming Mexico’s first world champion at cruiserweight and his promoter, Oscar De La Hoya of Golden Boy, has more ambitious plans for him.
Another unification is possible for Ramirez in 2025 against Australia’s IBF titleholder Jai Opetaia, who is No. 1 at cruiserweight in the latest ESPN’s rankings. De La Hoya has talked about Ramirez becoming an undisputed champion, holding all four titles, and taking on reigning WBC-WBA-WBO world heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk if the Ukrainian returns to cruiserweight next year.
“Of course, I want to unify all the belts and that’s a big goal for me,” Ramirez said.
Billam-Smith (20-2, 13 KOs), 34, from Bournemouth, England, suffered his second career defeat after showing immense courage to come firing back in the later rounds.
He made a sharp start to his third defense of the WBO belt as Ramirez briefly struggled with the Englishman’s intensity. Ramirez improved in Round 2, and he finished Round 3 with a decent left hook as he then took control of the fight.
The Mexican’s blows began to flow more freely and in Round 4 Ramirez landed his best punch yet, a right hand that briefly unsettled Billam-Smith and opened a cut on his left eyelid.
Ramirez, who won the WBA belt by unanimous decision versus Arsen Goulamirian in his previous fight in March, was also effective when the fight was at close range, and he threaded some punches through Billam-Smith’s guard in Round 6.
The ringside doctor was called to look at Billam-Smith’s cut before the start of Round 7. Billam-Smith was looking a sorry figure as Ramirez continued to land solid blows.
Billam-Smith rallied in Rounds 9 and 10, but he was caught by some stinging shots in the last two rounds as Ramirez left the Briton’s face covered in blood.
“Consistency was what won it for Zurdo tonight,” Billam-Smith said.
“He throws three or four shots and then moves. He’s consistent.”
Barboza and Zepeda move closer to title shots
Arnold Barboza boost his hopes of a title shot by unanimously outpointing Californian rival Jose Ramirez in a 10-round junior welterweight clash.
Barboza, from Los Angeles, was the busier fighter and, despite Ramirez (29-2, 18 KOs) stepping up the pressure in the latter rounds, took a close decision by scores of 97-93, 96-94 and 96-94.
Barboza, 32, was much improved from his split decision win over Sean McComb in April, and afterward called for a shot at WBO junior welterweight champion Teofimo Lopez.
“I was close to hanging the gloves up a few years ago,” said Barboza, who is the WBO No. 1 challenger.
“I got a fresh start, and this was the fight I have been wanting. I hope the WBO forgive me for not paying the sanctioning fee [to make the fight versus Ramirez a title eliminator] and keep me No. 1.”
Former junior welterweight champion Ramirez, 32, from Avenal, California, suffered a second career defeat, ending a three-fight winning streak since he lost an undisputed title showdown on points to Josh Taylor in May 2021.
William Zepeda edged past Tevin Farmer to stay on course for a crack at WBC world lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson in February.
Zepeda (32-0, 27 KOs) from San Mateo Atenco, México, won a split decision (95-94, 95-94, 94-95) after recovering from a fourth-round knockdown to land more punches than Farmer and earn the WBC interim belt.
Former IBF world junior lightweight champion Farmer (33-7-1, 8 KOs), 34, from Philadelphia, floored Zepeda with a left hook in Round 4 and his pressure made it an uncomfortable fight for the 28-year-old Mexican. It was an entertaining fight, but not the statement Zepeda would have wanted going into a world title fight early next year.
Collazo looks dangerous in unification win
Oscar Collazo looked sensational in a seventh-round stoppage win over Thammanoon “Freshsmart” Niyomtrong to unify two minimumweight world titles.
Collazo (11-0, 8 KOs), 27, from Puerto Rico, added the WBA belt to his WBO title after ending the eight-year reign of Niyomtrong (25-1, 9 KOs) and handing the Thai boxer his first professional defeat.
Collazo dropped Niyomtrong in Round 6, then again with a right hook in the seventh before finishing the fight moments later with stunning left uppercut.