Julian Chua has aspirations to become one of boxing’s most influential trainers. Coaching Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez to win his cruiserweight unification fight with Chris. Billam-Smith on November 16 in Saudi Arabia. It would help a lot to achieve that goal.
Chua has made great progress in that direction. It helped the 33-year-old Ramirez improve to 46-1 (30 KOs) with a victory over Arsen Goulamirian in a cruiserweight title fight in March.
Chua and Ramirez first met in 2018 when Ramirez, who was 39-0 at the time, was looking for a new head trainer. Their first meeting in Santa Monica, California, only marked the beginning of an even stronger partnership.
“We clicked immediately,” Chua said. “I researched his training history to help him improve. We balance each other. He went to Wild Card (a boxing club in Hollywood) and I went to Long Beach.”
Since taking over as Ramirez’s trainer in 2019, Chua has guided fighters through weight classes, with Ramirez moving up to cruiserweight. and defeated former light heavyweight titleholder Joe Smith Jnr last year.
A win over Billum-Smith, 20-1 (13 knockouts), the 34-year-old cruiserweight titleholder from Epsom, England, would add another important element to Ramirez’s legacy. while helping to enhance Chua’s reputation as a trainer who can help lead fighters to new heights.
