Gilberto Ramirez Stuck With Uninspiring Mandatory: Dorticos A Step Back For The Division

By Boxing News – 01/17/2025 – Comments

WBA/WBO cruiserweight champion Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez (47-1, 30 KOs) has been ordered by the WBA to defend against his mandatory Yuniel Dorticos (27-2, 25 KOs) in his next fight.

Cuba-born Dorticos, 38, has fought just 3 times within the last 4 years, beating obscure low-level opposition to earn the mandatory spot with the World Boxing Association. It’s not ideal for a fighter to grab the #1 slot, however the cruiserweight division is barren of talent. Dorticos is considered one of the few good fighters on this weight class, and he’s not young.

Unification Delayed

Ramirez’s plans to fight a unification against IBF cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia have to be placed on hold. He’ll need to wait until he gets this fight out of the way in which against Dorticos. After all, there’s at all times the potential for a step-aside deal if Ramirez’s promoters at Golden Boy wish to go that route.

It’s too bad the IBF didn’t use former WBA champion Arsen Goulamirian because the mandatory, but that may make no sense either, provided that Ramirez beat him last 12 months on March thirtieth by a lopsided 12-round unanimous decision. Still, that may be infinitely higher than a fight against an inactive Dorticos.