Gilberto Ramirez Unifies Cruiserweight Titles with Victory Over Chris Billam-Smith

Gilberto Ramirez has become the first Mexican boxer to unify world cruiserweight titles. In Riyadh, Ramirez secured a points victory against Britain’s Chris Billam-Smith, who displayed resilience despite sustaining injuries, to claim the unified WBA and WBO cruiserweight championship. The judges’ scorecards reflected a clear win for ‘Zurdo’, with scores of 116-112, 116-112, and 116-113. This win improves Ramirez’s professional record to 47-1, his sole defeat coming against former light-heavyweight world champion Dmitry Bivol. Throughout the majority of the bout in Saudi Arabia, Ramirez maintained control, delivering numerous powerful strikes. Billam-Smith fought valiantly, completing all 12 rounds on his feet, but was unable to overcome Ramirez. This marks the second professional loss for the Bournemouth fighter, his previous defeat being against Londoner Richard Riakporhe in 2019. Following the fight, Billam-Smith commented in the ring, “I guess there’s a bit of irony. My initials are obviously CBS, I say ‘consistency builds success’ and I think he had the consistency tonight. They deserved to come out with the win. I have a huge amount of respect for him.” He further stated, “Next I will enjoy a rest, enjoy Christmas. We’ll have to go back and keep improving.” Ramirez, meanwhile, extends his successful run in the cruiserweight division, having now secured a second world title in only his second fight at this weight class. “I feel great. I’m a true champion, everyone saw,” Ramirez declared. “I mean, I’m prepared for those guys. We know he was a tough fighter. A strong guy. He was a champion. It was an honour for me to fight him and get the belt.” He added, “Next I want to unify with all the champions. That’s the main goal for me.” Billam-Smith, the WBO champion, entered the Venue arena first, making a lap of the canvas with a determined expression and raised arm. He was checked twice by the ringside doctor during the contest. The atmosphere was less boisterous than what Billam-Smith typically experiences in his home country. However, familiar faces were present at ringside, including Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe – a renowned former player and manager of Billam-Smith’s beloved AFC Bournemouth – along with some of his players. Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund holds a majority stake in Newcastle, as the nation continues to invest significantly in sports. The kingdom faces accusations of utilizing sports and prominent athletes for ‘sportwashing,’ amidst ongoing criticism regarding its human rights record. As the fight commenced, following chants for both competitors, Billam-Smith was the first to land clean punches. He connected with several effective shots that caused Ramirez’s head to snap back. However, Ramirez asserted himself in subsequent rounds, delivering powerful blows. In the fourth round, a significant right hook from Ramirez opened a cut over Billam-Smith’s left eye. In the fifth round, the Mexican fighter staggered the Briton with a powerful left hand just before the bell. The referee halted the action at the beginning of the seventh round due to the severity of the damage to Billam-Smith’s left eye. The ringside doctor examined the cut and confirmed that the fight could proceed. Billam-Smith later admitted, “It was a few rounds there where I couldn’t see out of that eye.” Ramirez maintained his dominant performance in the concluding rounds, landing the more impactful and noticeable punches. While Ramirez appeared to show signs of fatigue towards the end, Billam-Smith’s moments of success proved insufficient. The Briton’s coach, Shane McGuigan, expressed visible frustration with the fight’s progression. Despite Billam-Smith expending all his energy in the final minute, Ramirez ultimately became the first Mexican to unify world titles in the cruiserweight division. Ramirez has now positioned himself to further unify the cruiserweight division, with IBF champion Jai Opetaia and WBC champion Noel Mikaelian both having expressed interest in fighting the victor of this bout.