According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, WBO Super Middleweight champion Gilberto Ramirez will move to light heavyweight.
“I am looking for another belt. That’s why I am moving up. Also, last time I fought it was a little bit hard to make the weight, 168. My body is asking to move up,” Ramirez said Friday before the weigh-in for the rematch between light heavyweight world titlist Eleider “Storm” Alvarez and former two-time titlist Sergey Kovalev, who meet on Saturday night (midnight ET, ESPN+) at the Ford Center at the Star, the practice facility of the Dallas Cowboys.
“I am looking for those belts,” Ramirez said. “They are really tough fighters. I want to be the Mexican idol. So I am looking for a challenge and an opportunity.”
“He came to us. He was having trouble maintaining his weight at 168 [pounds] and thought he would be much stronger at 175,” Ramirez promoter Bob Arum said. “So without giving up his 168 title, I think we’re going to put him in a good fight at 175, and then if he comes through that we’ll match him with one of the champions to fight for a title.
“He knows as well as we do who he matches up well with. He has sparred with Gvozdyk so he feels he can handle Gvozdyk. He’s watched Alvarez fight. Our matchmakers think he’s competitive in either fight. With Beterbiev, who knows what you have.”
“Bob told me, ‘Maybe you want to move up, fight, and after, if I don’t give you a really good fight like [one against] Canelo Alvarez or [Gennady] Golovkin or Callum Smith, something like that, then we’re going to look for a title at light heavyweight,'” Ramirez said. “It’s a big challenge for me. I am really motivated to get another belt and be a champion in two divisions.”
“I think he’s a big guy whether at 168 or 175, and if he feels stronger by not having the sacrifice to make the weight he will be a lot better puncher,” Arum said. “He’s a great boxer. The question is if he will develop a good punch. I think going up in weight will help that.”