There are four cruiserweight world champions. Let’s look at each one and comment “which one is the best?” In WBA is the former WBO Super Middleweight champion Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez, 46-1, with 30 stoppages from Mexico. He won the NABF Light Heavyweight title in 2020, stopping Alfonso Lopez, 32-3 in 10 rounds.
After three wins, his record of 44 undefeated was stopped by WBA Light Heavyweight champion Demitrii Bivol, 20-0, in 2022. In March he moved to capture the WBA Super World Cruiserweight title defeating Arsen Goulamirian, 27-0, in March 2024. his last fight.
Ramirez is scheduled to fight World Boxing Organization champion Chris Billiam-Smith, 27-0, on November 16 on Latin Night at The Venue in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Billiam-Smith won his title in May 2023, winning a majority decision over Lawrence ‘The Sauce’ Okolie of the United Kingdom, 19-0. Instead of a rematch, he went on to stop Poland’s Mateusz Masternak, 47-5, in December and the UK’s Richard Riakporhe, 17-0, in June 2024.
The WBC champion is Armenian Norair Mikaeljan, 27-2, with 12 stops out of Miami, Florida. He won the vacant title in November 2023, stopping Ilunga Junior Makabu, 29-3. He hasn’t fought in a year since winning the title and nothing planned.
The IBF champion is southpaw Jai Opetaia, 26-0 with 20 stops out of Gold Coast Queensland, Australia. He won the vacant title in May 2024 by defeating Mairis Briedis, 28-2. In his first defense in October he stopped Jack Massey, 22-2. Nothing planned.
The winner between Ramirez and Billiam-Smith this month will hold two of those titles. Mikaeljan has not defended his title since winning it a year ago. Opetaia, who many call the best cruiserweight champion, made his first defense in five months last month.
The winner between Ramirez and Billiam-Smith could meet Opetaia. Mikaeljan could be stripped after not defending his title in a year and be vacant soon. So, who do you think is the best cruiserweight world champion?
