Home Fight Gilberto Ramirez Stuck With Uninspiring Mandatory: Dorticos A Step Back For The... Fight Gilberto Ramirez Stuck With Uninspiring Mandatory: Dorticos A Step Back For The Division By fight - January 17, 2025 2 0 FacebookTwitterPinterestWhatsApp By Boxing News – 17/01/2025 – Comments WBA/WBO cruiserweight champion Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez (47-1, 30 KOs) has been ordered by the WBA to defend against his mandatory Yuniel Dorticos (27-2, 25 KOs) in his next fight. Cuban-born Dorticos, 38, has fought just three times in the past four years, beating obscure low-level opposition to earn the mandatory spot with the World Boxing Association. Not ideal for a fighter to take the #1 slot, but the cruiserweight division is barren of talent. Dorticos is one of the few good fighters in this weight class, and he is not young. Delayed Unification Ramirez plans to fight a unification against the IBF cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia must be put on hold. He will have to wait until he walks away from this fight against Dorticos. Of course, there’s still the possibility of a passive deal if Ramirez’s promoters at Golden Boy want to go that route. Too bad the IBF didn’t use former WBA champion Arsen Goulamirian as a mandatory, but it wouldn’t make sense, since Ramirez beat him last year on March 30 via a 12-round unanimous decision. Still, what would be infinitely better than a fight against an inactive Dorticos. Click here to subscribe to our FREE newsletter Related News: Boxing News 24 ยป Gilberto Ramirez Stuck with Uninspiring Mandatory: Dorticos a Step Back for the Division Last updated on 01/17/2025