GILBERTO Ramirez is the WBA and new WBO cruiserweight champion after a 12-round defeat of Chris Blumsmith in Riyadh. Scores of 116-112 (twice) and 116-113 gave credit to Blum-Smith’s efforts, but the precision of Ramirez’s southpaw stance made all the difference.
Blumsmith enjoyed a solid opening round, using his size and jab to push Ramirez back. The Mexican found his range for the left hand in round two and again showed he was a physical boss in round three. Opting to turn it into a firefight, Blum Smith’s uppercut made an appearance.
Ramirez’s edge in hand speed made life difficult for Chris, who looked to make it ugly by closing the distance in the fourth. Speaking of ugly, Blum-Smith walked out of the session with a cut around his left eye that was bleeding.
“You’ve got to put this man on the back foot,” pleaded Shane McGuigan in the Englishman’s corner. Blumsmith looked alarmingly slow and was taking plenty of shots. Referee Harvey Dock admonished Ramirez for using his head in round six. However, Blumsmith’s head was the most annoying, as it kept spinning and throbbing from hard shots.
RIYADH SEASON PROMOTION BOULEVARD CITY, RIYADH KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA Photo Chris Dean/Boxer WBO & WBA World Cruiserweight Title Unification Chris Blum Smith Will Gilberto Ramiser
Looking increasingly tired, Blumsmith was slugging it out by the end of the seventh round. Perhaps it was time that Shane and company took it out, as Zurdo found even more success after the transformation. Ironically, Blumsmith landed some hard hooks around the guard in round eight. Only Ramirez was experiencing a small leak in his gas tank. How Blumsmith made it to the 10th round is anyone’s guess, but, incredibly, there he was, still away.
Success at this stage means not repeatedly pinging through the combination. Amazingly, Shane McGuigan and the Corner team were still believing as the final round came into view. The tenacity and resilience remained for the Bournemouth man, who refused to give up despite countless odds.
“We know he was a tough fighter, a strong guy and he was a champion. It’s an honor to fight him and get the belt,” said Ramirez, 47-1 (30 KOs). Want to unite with all champions. That’s the main goal for me.”
Respectful of his opponent, refusing to let the cut eye serve as an excuse, Blum-Smith, 20-2 (13 KOs), said he would take a well-earned rest and continue his Will re-evaluate future options.
Shane McGuigan added: “That [Ramirez] He was very efficient with his movements, very consistent. He was just walking away, winning the round with little effort. Chris was tired and exhausted. I am so proud of this man. We didn’t get the victory tonight, but we were up against a very good champion.
