Abel Sanchez Wants Murat Gassiev To Face Victor Ramirez Next

By Ryan Burton

On December 18th, cruiserweight contender Murat Gassiev (22-0, 16KOs) battled undefeated prospect Isiah Thomas to a no-contest. Thomas won the first rounds but Gassiev started to come in the third round. However, he landed two punches after the bell sounded to end the round - and then Thomas advised the officials that he was unable to continue and the fight was stopped.

Gassiev's trainer Abel Sanchez is very high on the Russian and said the plan is to try to get him in the ring with IBF cruiserweight champion Victor Ramirez (22-2-1, 17KOs) of Argentina very soon.  Gassiev is ranked #3 by the organization while the first two positions are vacant.

Ramirez was the interim champion and then was elevated to full champion status when longtime beltholder Yoan Pablo Hernandez was removed from his title due to a long stint of injury-related inactivity. Ramirez has been out of the ring since last October's split draw with Ovil McKenzie.

"Now it is up to us to regroup and move on to the next one. I think that Gassiev is just like Golovkin and most of my fighters in my gym where they start out and feel the rounds and feel what is happening and usually come on in the second half of the fight," Sanchez told BoxingScene.com.

"I thought that Gassiev would stop him in the next couple of rounds. That is what I told him in the gym that I thought it was a four or five round fight.  Whether he was hurt or not I wasn't there so I don't know but Thomas' corner took care of him. So hopefully he will be back in the first third of the year against Ramirez and that will be for the world title."

Gassiev went 3-0 with 1 no contest in 2015. 

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