Gilberto Ramirez has lofty plans that extend beyond his forthcoming light heavyweight title challenge.
The unbeaten former WBO super middleweight titlist is currently in the negotiation stage of a mandatory title fight with WBA light heavyweight champ Dmitry Bivol (20-0, 11KOs). The fight was ordered July 11, with the two sides granted a 30-day free negotiation period before the matter heads to a purse bid hearing.
Ramirez (44-0, 30KOs) has won five straight by knockout since moving up to light heavyweight, with his last two bouts taking place in Southern California. The 31-year-old southpaw can envision the same corner of the world hosting his bid to become a two-division titlist.
“It will be great to fight Bivol in LA,” Ramirez told BoxingScene.com. “I think it could be great. If not, maybe we can fight in Vegas.”
Had the WBA not ordered the fight, the contingency plan called for Ramirez to enjoy a homecoming fight in Mazatlan, Mexico. He fought exclusively in his home country through 2013, with all but one bout since taking place stateside.
There is now the possibility that—with a win over Bivol—he can make a title defense on home soil, something he didn’t even get to enjoy during his near three-year super middleweight title reign.
“That’s still a goal to fight back home,” insists Ramirez, whose title win and five defenses at super middleweight all took place in the U.S. “It’s been a long time since I fought in Mazatlan (July 2011). It’s been a long time, eight or nine years since I fought anywhere in Mexico.
“I want to bring a big fight to Mazatlan, put like 30,000 in the new stadium (Estadio de Mazatlan). I would love to have a title fight in my hometown.”
Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox