"I'm with the Mexican" - Gilberto Ramirez on Canelo Alvarez vs. Dmitry Bivol
Gilberto Ramirez is picking his fellow countryman Canelo Alvarez to defeat Dmitry Bivol on May 7. Canelo and Bivol are scheduled to fight in Las Vegas at the T-Mobile Arena with the WBA Light Heavyweight Championship on the line.
The pound-for-pound great will attempt to win his second world title at 175 lbs and become the first man to defeat the Russian. Alvarez is coming off an 11th round TKO victory against Caleb Plant where he became undisputed at 168 lbs. Bivol, meanwhile, last fought against Umar Salmov and captured an easy win on points.
Watch the fight highlights of Canelo Alvarez vs. Caleb Plant:
Here's what Ramirez said in an interview with Fight Hype:
"I think it will be a good fight but obviously I pick Canelo. Bivol has good movement, good footwork, back and forth, one-two. But I think Canelo, I'm with the Mexican."
Bivol was an esteemed amateur, winning a gold medal at the 2013 World Combat Games and possesses a slick boxing style that Alvarez has struggled with in the past.
Gilberto Ramirez believes Canelo Alvarez is big enough for 175 lbs
Ramirez continued by expressing how Bivol's size will not be a problem for Canelo. 'Zurdo' believes Alvarez has the boxing skills to cause the Russian serious issues in the ring:
"That's not a problem for Canelo, he has a good guard, he moves his head all the time and I think it will be exciting. He will throw a lot of body shots and that will stop the fighter too."
Watch the full interview with Ramirez on Fight Hype:
It remains to be seen if the pound-for-pound king can handle a taller and naturally bigger man like the Russian.
Despite previously fighting at light heavyweight against Sergey Kovalev, Canelo started his career as a super lightweight and is listed at 5'8". Bivol, in comparison, has always campaigned at 175lbs and is listed at 6'.
Regardless, Alvarez is accustomed to being the shorter man in the ring and is widely considered the best fighter in the world. A victory against a talented fighter such as Bivol will boost the Mexican superstar's legacy even further.
A win for Canelo could also set up a fight to become undisputed at light heavyweight. Artur Beterbiev and Joe Smith Jr. are scheduled to clash on June 18 and Alvarez could face the winner after he's done with Gennadiy Golovkin.