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41-0 Gilberto Ramirez All In For WBC Interim World Light
Heavyweight Clash With Marcus Browne
The first super middleweight world champion of Mexican
decent, undefeated Gilberto "Zurdo" Ramirez (41-0, 27 KOs)
is all in for a potential World Boxing Council (WBC) Interim
light heavyweight World title fight against 2012 U.S.
Olympian "Sir" Marcus Browne (23-1, 16 KOs).
The WBC ordered Ramirez vs. Browne this past Monday because
reigning WBC light heavyweight World champion Artur
Beterbiev (15-0, 15 KOs) hasn't defended his title since
capturing it October 18, 2019, due to getting COVID-19
during training camp, as well as for other pandemic related
restrictions. Beterbiev is also the reigning International
Boxing Federation (IBF) light heavyweight World champion.
Ramirez is the No. 1 light heavyweight contender in the WBC
ratings, while Browne is ranked No. 4. Team Zurdo and Team
Browne have until February 5th to work out a deal before
it'll go to purse bid. Martinez is promoted by his own
company, Zurdo Promotions, while Browne is represented by
PBC.
"This is an interesting opportunity and I'm ready to fight
anyone in the light heavyweight division to leave my mark on
the sport," Ramirez said. "I know Marcus has been out of the
ring for a while, but he's a U.S. Olympian and still one of
the best in the game. I know he's wanted this fight for a
while and hopefully we can make something happen.
"In addition, it's always been my dream to get the green
belt (WBC) and bring it back to Mexico. I have a lot of
respect for the WBC and Mauricio Suliman and I am grateful
for all their love and support throughout my career."
Last month, Ramirez fought for the first time in 20 months,
stopping defending champion Alfonso "El Tigre" Lopez (32-4,
25 KOs) in the 10th round of the "Battle of Rio Grande" main
event, which marked the debut of Zurdo Promotions.
The 29-year-old Ramirez became the first Mexican fighter to
capture a world super middleweight crown in 2016, when the
ultra-gifted, athletic southpaw pitched a complete shutout
against defending title holder "King" Arthur Abraham (44-4),
winning each round for a 12-round unanimous decision
(120-106 X 3) to become the World Boxing Organization (WBO)
world champion.
Ramirez successful defended his WBO title five times against
33-4-1 Maksym Bursak (DEC12), 22-0 Jessie Hart (DEC12),
25-0-1 Habib Ahmed (25-0-1), 23-0 Roemer Alexis Angulo
(DEC12), and Hart again in a rematch (DEC12). "Zurdo" moved
up to the light heavyweight division in 2019, destroying
29-6-1 Tommy Karpency, who was unable to continue fighting
after four rounds.
A talented southpaw as well, Browne was a decorated U.S.
amateur out of New York City, who won gold medals at the
2010 U.S. National PAL Championships and 2012 U.S. National
Championships, prior to representing the U.S. at the Olympic
Games in London.
Browne, 30, is a past WBA Interim light heavyweight World
champion. He has beaten a pair of word champions, 22-1-3
Badou Jack (DEC12) and 25-7-1 Gabriel Campillo (25-7-2).
Other notable opponents he has defeated include 21-0
Radivoje Kalajdzic (DEC8), 20-2 Thomas Williams (KO6), 28-0
Sean Monaghan (TKO2), and 18-1-1 Lenin Castillo (DEC10).
Browne's last fight was August 3, 2019, when he suffered his
first loss as a professional to former world champion Jean
Pascal
(33-6-1) via an eight-round technical decision, after Browne
suffered a severe cut over his left eye from an accidental
head-butt.
"There are always challenges to making a fight become
reality," Ramirez concluded, "but me being both the fighter
and sole promoter, I'm flexible on the common problems that
takes to make a fight. I'm not sure how much time Marcus
will need to be ready, but both time and location can be
determined when the other preliminary items are agreed upon.
If it goes to a purse bid, I'm ready for the process and,
hopefully, this fight can happen for both of us."
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