Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez believes he is finally at a weight befitting his 6’2 ½” frame.

The Mexican southpaw looks settled in at cruiserweight, though the proof will come in the ring. Ramirez fights for the second time in the 200-pound division, as he challenges unbeaten WBA titlist Arsen Goulamirian.

“I feel like cruiserweight is my division,” Ramirez insisted to The Ring. “I am excited to get in the ring and make a statement. This division is my home now. I want to win the title and then defend it twice this year.”

Goulamirian-Ramirez headlines a five-fight DAZN telecast this Saturday, beginning at 8:00 p.m. ET from YouTube Theater in Inglewood, California.

Ramirez (45-1, 30 knockouts) tested the waters in his previous outing, a ten-round decision over Joe Smith Jr. last October 7 in Las Vegas. Their DAZN-aired battle of former titlists came at a contracted 193-pound limit. Ramirez, No. 10 at 200, weighed 191.6 pounds, a career-heaviest but an effective weight as shown in his performance.

“I felt really strong in my last fight,” noted Ramirez, once upon a time a WBO super middleweight titlist. “I had better mobility as well and expect to have those same advantages (on Saturday), even at a heavier weight.”

Ramirez was 199.4 pounds at Friday’s weigh-in, eight pounds more than he was for the win over Smith.

Physically, it’s where he wants to be headed into this weekend’s title challenge.

Goulamirian (27-0, 18 KOs), No. 6 at 200, has spent his entire career at this weight. The visiting Armenian-born, France-based WBA titlist will attempt the fourth defense of the full version of the belt. He enters Saturday having not fought since November 2022. Before that, it was nearly three years out of the ring.

Ramirez was only slightly more active in the recent time. His win over Smith came eleven months after a Nov. 2022 defeat to unbeaten WBA light heavyweight titlist Dmitry Bivol.

Wedged in between was a canceled bout with Gabriel Rosado. Ramirez was well over the contracted limit to where he was pulled before the pre-fight weigh-in. A decision was made as a team to move up in weight, which leads to the chance to make history for his native Mexico.

Interestingly, the oddsmakers are on his side. BetMGM has the 32-year-old southpaw at -225 to become Mexico’s first-ever cruiserweight titlist. Goulamirian is a +175 underdog according to the same sportsbook.

“Arsen is a great champion, he wouldn’t have the belt for so long if he wasn’t,” noted Ramirez. “But this is now the perfect time for me to become the first Mexican to win the world cruiserweight title.

“It’s really important for me to accomplish this goal now. I still have the support of all my Mexican people and I don’t want to let them down ever again.”

Jake Donovan is a senior writer for The Ring and vice president of the Boxing Writers Association of America.

Follow @JakeNDaBox

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