Zurdo vs. Billam-Smith cruiserweight unification a done deal
Will headline Riyadh Season first non-PPV card on Nov. 16
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Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez, the WBA cruiserweight titleholder, and WBO titlist Chris Billam-Smith will meet to unify belts on Nov. 16 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Turki Alalshikh, the chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, and Golden Boy Promotions CEO Oscar De La Hoya announced on Tuesday night.
The fight will headline a Riyadh Season “Latino Night” card that will also feature several other notable fights, confirming a Fight Freaks Unite report last week.
“We are looking forward to staging our first event as part of our partnership with Golden Boy Promotions with ‘Latino Night,’” Alalshikh said. “This card features some of the best Latino fighters around and continues our drive to deliver top-tier boxing events by giving fans throughout the world the fights they want to see.”
The broadcast platform was not announced, but Alalshikh said the card will be broadcast for free globally. It is probable that DAZN will be one of the platforms as it has a deal to stream Golden Boy events and has produced all of the Riyadh Season cards so far.
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“His Excellency (Alalshikh) and I have the exact same vision — to match the best versus the best for the fans of our sport,” De La Hoya said. “From a world championship unification fight, to battles between former champions and on-the-rise contenders to a stacked undercard of prospects, this show will feature everything great that boxing has to offer.”
While Jai Opetaia, who has been fighting on Riyadh Season cards, is the lineal and IBF champion and No. 1 in the 200-pound division, the Ramirez-Billam-Smith winner will produce his obvious top challenger.
Ramirez (46-1, 30 KOs), 33, a Mexican southpaw, and former super middleweight titlist, won the cruiserweight belt via lopsided decision from Arsen Goulamirian on April 30 and will make his first defense.
“I’m excited to make this fight happen with Chris Billam-Smith,” Ramirez said. “It’s been a long time coming, and I’m looking forward to becoming the unified champion in this division. I've always said this was my division, and I’m happy for the opportunity to showcase my skills at this level on a global stage in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
“It’s truly an honor to be a Mexican warrior and to showcase what true Mexican boxing is all about while bringing my culture to a global audience.”
To make the fight, Ramirez’s team was able to strike a deal for mandatory challenger and former titlist Yuniel Dorticos (27-2, 25 KOs), 38, a Miami-based Cuban defector, to step aside for a fee and the promise he will he get the next shot at the winner.
Billam-Smith (20-1, 13 KOs), 34, of England, who is promoted by Boxxer, will make his third defense. He is coming off a highly competitive unanimous decision to retain the title and avenge his only loss to countryman Richard Riakporhe in June.
When the fight was being negotiated, Billam-Smith expressed excitement for the impending bout in an interview with British broadcaster Sky Sports getting to unify titles.
“It’s exciting, a unification fight against someone who’s only ever been beaten (by decision in a light heavyweight title fight) by (Dmitry) Bivol,” he said. “So, it’s a very hard test. It would be an honor for me to fight and become unified champion.”
Four other bouts were also announced:
Former unified junior welterweight titlist Jose Ramirez (29-1, 18 KOs), 32, of Avenal, California, and Arnold Barboza (30-0, 11 KOs), 32, of Los Angeles, will meet in a WBO junior welterweight title eliminator in the co-feature.
Mexican knockout artist William Zepeda (31-0, 27 KOs), 28, a southpaw, who is the mandatory challenger for WBC lightweight titleholder Shakur Stevenson, will face former IBF junior lightweight titlist Farmer (33-6-1, 8 KOs), 34, of Philadelphia, in a 10-round lightweight bout. If Stevenson retains his title against Joe Cordina on the Oct. 12 Riyadh Season card and Zepeda defeats Farmer, Alalshikh said the plan is for them to meet in the next fight.
WBO strawweight titlist Oscar Collazo (10-0, 7 KOs), 27, of Puerto Rico, will make his fourth defense against Edwin Cano Hernandez (13-2-1, 4 KOs), 26, of Mexico.
Oscar Duarte (27-2-1, 22 KOs), 28, of Mexico, will face Kenneth Sims Jr. (21-2-1, 8 KOs), 30, of Chicago, in a WBA junior middleweight title eliminator.
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Reminiscent of Top Rank’s old Latin Fury PPV series. Might’ve attended this, if it was to take place in California. That LA Riyadh Season card was the most fun I’ve ever had at a Boxing Event.
*Duarte and Sims Jr for junior welter not junior middle weight