Saturday, November 16, 2024

Boxing Challenge

        The boxing weekend has started in Arlington, Texas but it ends in Riyadh with a solid Golden Boy card with two world champion unifications, the top lightweight contender in action, and two top junior welterweights finally facing off.

The main event will unify two cruiserweight titlists as WBA champion Gilberto Ramirez meets WBO king Chris Billam-Smith for more than only two titles but the likely chance to next meet IBF champion Jai Opietaia, who is thought by most as the top cruiserweight in the world.

Both are coming off impressive wins as Ramirez won his title over Arsen Goulamirian, while Billam-Smith defended his title by avenging his only career defeat over Richard Riakporhe.

This has the chance to be an excellent fight but both men aren't afraid to clinch and grab, so that is a concern for this one.

The undercard is excellent, with junior welterweight contenders Jose Ramirez and Arnold Barboza battling in a WBO eliminator featuring two fighters who were once under the same management.

Ramirez once held the WBC and WBO titles but hasn't seemed to be motivated in recent years and has been noted more for turning down big fights than recent ring action of late.

Barboza is unbeaten but struggled earlier this year in a split-decision win against Sean McComb.

A fighter is rarely the number one contender in all four sanctioning bodies but lightweight William Zepeda is the exception and the whirlwind will face slick boxing former IBF junior lightweight titleholder Tevin Farmer for a minor title.

Zepeda's aggressiveness is always in play, and Farmer's boxing style might be an excellent test for Zepeda against boxers before his title chance.

Farmer narrowly lost a unanimous decision in July to contender Raymond Muratalla, which brought Farmer back into the world title picture.

A strawweight title unification seldom occurs but the best two fighters in the division will unify in that division as WBO champion Oscar Collazo will meet WBA king Knockout CP Freshmart.

The unbeaten Collazo has defended his title three times while Freshmart is unbeaten in twenty-five fights.

The opener will be a welterweight ten-rounder between Oscar Duarte and late replacement Batyr Akhmedov.

Duarte knocked out former junior lightweight champion Joseph Diaz in his last fight, while Akhmedov has lost all three of his fights by close decision, including an awful loss that I thought he won easily against current WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios.

Boxing Challenge

Unification WBA-WBO Cruiserweight Titles. 12 Rds
Gilberto Ramirez vs Chris Billam-Smith
Ramon Malpica and TRS: Ramirez Unanimous Decision
Vince Samano: Billam-Smith Unanimous Decision

Junior Welterweights. 12 Rds
Jose Ramirez vs Arnold Barboza
R.L: Ramirez Unanimous Decision
TRS: Barboza Unanimous Decision
V.S: Ramirez KO 6

Lightweights. 10 Rds
William Zepeda vs Tevin Farmer
R.L and TRS: Zepeda Unanimous Decision
V.S: Farmer Unanimous Decision

Unification WBA-WBO Strawweight Titles. 12 Rds
C.P. Freshmart vs Oscar Collazo
R.L: and TRS: Collazo Unanimous Decision
V.S: Freshmart Unanimous Decision

Welterweights. 12 Rds
Oscar Duarte vs Batyr Akhmedov
R.L: Duarte KO 8
TRS: Duarte Split Decision
V.S: Duarte Unanimous Decision







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