Team Ramirez Not Bothered if Abraham Bout is Germany Bound

By Ryan Burton

Last week, BoxingScene.com's Jake Donovan reported that Sauerland Event won the purse bid for the WBO super middleweight clash between champion Arthur Abraham (44-4) and Gilberto Ramirez (33-0).  Sauerland Event posted $1,563,000 to edge out Ramirez's promoter Top Rank's bid of $1,500,000.

Despite losing the purse bid, Top Rank CEO Bob Arum remains very confident that he can bring the fight to Las Vegas as the co-feature to the Manny Pacquiao-Tim Bradley 3 pay-per-view fight that takes place on April 9th.

Hector Zapari, who manages and trains Ramirez along with his father Jesus, isn't very confident that the fight ends up in Las Vegas and said that their fighter is 100% ready to go to Germany and face the popular Armenian fighter in his adopted hometown.

"We are mentally prepared to go to Germany.  If the fight ends up in Las Vegas that is great but we don't expect it.  We expect to go to Germany.  Gilberto wants this fight more than anything.  We think this is just a tactic by the Germans so that we think the fight will be in the U.S. and then at the last minute they change their mind because they are the ones that have the final say where the fight is at," Zapari explained.

Ramirez went 3-0 in 2015 and is already training for the bout.  Zapari said that if the fight was in February instead of April, Ramirez would still be ready to go.

The Sinaloa, Mexico based trainer and manager also revealed that they have already put a plan that in place in case the fight goes to Germany.

"The Germans like to play mind games and try to gain the advantage psychologically. They have their strategy but we do too.  We have our own team already over there so we are ready to go. We won't have to improvise at the last minute. I have never seen Zurdo so motivated for a fight.  When it comes down to it, there are only two men in the ring and the rest isn't important.  Gilberto is ready to go and win the title on whatever date the fight happens and where ever it happens," said Zapari.

Abraham would represent a significant step up in class for the 24-year-old Ramirez.  Zapari realizes this and says that they have a lot of respect for the two division champion Abraham.

"We have always planned on the fight being in Germany. It won't effect us at all to go there.  Gilberto wants to demonstrate that Mexicans can dominate in this division because Mexico has never had a champion in this division.

"It is an honor for Gilberto to fight such a great champion.  Mexico is a third world country with many people suffering.  These types of opportunities don't come along very often and Gilberto won't let this opportunity go to waste.  Ramirez will leave everything in the ring.  He will do it not only for his country but for all Mexicans and to make history in the 168 pound division.  It will be a great fight and we are going to enjoy every moment of it," Zapari told BoxingScene.com.