Former Super Middleweight Champ Gilberto Ramirez Makes Bold Move to Cruiserweight

At the age of 32, and after 14 years in the professional boxing arena, Gilberto "Zurdo" Ramirez (44-1, 30 KOs), the former world super middleweight champion, is making a significant move up in weight class. Natural growth and physical development have compelled him to transition from the light heavyweight division to the cruiserweight division.

On October 7th, "Zurdo" will make his cruiserweight debut, taking on former world light heavyweight champion Joe "The Common Man" Smith, Jr. (28-4, 22 KOs) in a headline bout presented by Golden Boy Promotions. This clash will be streamed live on DAZN from The Chelsea inside The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.

Hailing from Mazatlán, Mexico, Ramirez has clearly outgrown the 175-pound weight limit. In recent fights, he has entered the ring weighing close to 200 pounds, despite officially making weight the day before.

Explaining his decision, Ramirez stated, "This fight marks my move up to the cruiserweight division. This decision is based on a combination of factors that my team and I carefully considered. One of the main reasons is my natural growth and development as an athlete. As I've progressed during my career, I've gained muscle mass and strength, making it more suitable for me to compete in the cruiserweight division."

He continued, "Additionally, we believe that this move will provide exciting new challenges and opportunities for me. The cruiserweight division is known for its competitive and diverse talent pool, and I'm eager to test my skills against opponents with different styles and strengths. This transition also aligns with my long-term goals in the sport, and I'm confident that I'll be able to make a positive impact in this new weight class. I've worked closely with my coaches and trainers to ensure a smooth transition in terms of training, strategy, and overall preparation. While it is a new chapter in my career, I'm embracing the change and looking forward to proving myself at cruiserweight."

Ramirez's last fight was an unsuccessful challenge against World Boxing Association (WBA) Light Heavyweight Champion Dmitriy Bivol (20-0) in Abu Dhabi last November, where he lost via a 12-round unanimous decision. A scheduled fight as a light heavyweight against Gabe Rosado on March 18th was canceled due to Ramirez's weight issue.

Rather than opting for a tune-up fight in his new weight class, Ramirez has chosen to face Joe Smith Jr., a formidable opponent known for defeating Bernard Hopkins, Andrzej Fonfara, and Eleider Alvarez among other notable fighters. The hard-hitting fighter from Long Island, New York, has an impressive record of stopping 22 of the 28 opponents he has faced.

Before his transition, Ramirez was highly ranked as a light heavyweight, holding positions such as The Ring #4, WBO #6, and WBA #7.