Zurdo Ramirez Defends Cruiserweight Crowns with Unanimous Decision Over Dorticos
By Dong Secuya
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 29 Jun 2025
Mexican superstar Gilberto "Zurdo" Ramirez successfully defended his WBO and WBA cruiserweight titles Saturday night (Sunday in Manila) at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California, securing a unanimous decision victory over Cuba's Yuniel Dorticos. The highly anticipated championship clash, the co-main event of the Jake Paul vs Julio Cesar Chavez Jr, broadcast live on DAZN, saw Ramirez weather an early storm before ultimately imposing his will on the veteran Cuban.
The judges' scorecards reflected a clear victory for the southpaw warrior from Mazatlán, Sinaloa, Mexico. Jack Reiss scored the bout 117-110, while both Fernando Villarreal and Steve Weisfeld had it 115-112, all in favor of Ramirez.
The initial half of the fight proved to be a tense, competitive affair. "Dr. KO" Yuniel Dorticos, known for his devastating power, aggressively forced Ramirez onto his back foot. The Cuban knockout artist, who had flattened 25 of his 27 previous opponents, was clearly looking to unleash his signature right hand, a weapon that could change the fight in an instant. Dorticos's early aggression and power made Ramirez cautious, leading to a tactical battle in the opening rounds.
However, as the fight progressed into the second half, the tide began to turn decisively in Ramirez's favor. The Mexican champion, displaying his characteristic stamina and relentless pressure, started to impose his will on the fading Dorticos. Ramirez pressed the action more effectively, consistently throwing combinations and forcing Dorticos to fight off the back foot. The age difference, and perhaps Dorticos's recent inactivity—having only tallied three fights in the last four years at age 39—began to show, as his explosiveness waned in the later rounds. Ramirez capitalized on this, effectively outworking and outmaneuvering his opponent to secure the victory.
This impressive win marks Ramirez's fourth consecutive victory since his lone professional defeat against pound-for-pound star Dmitrii Bivol. With this successful title defense, Gilberto "Zurdo" Ramirez improves his stellar professional record to 48-1-0 with 30 knockouts. Yuniel Dorticos, a formidable opponent despite the loss, now sees his record stand at 27-3-0 with 25 knockouts. The victory further solidifies Ramirez's position at the top of the cruiserweight division, setting the stage for potentially bigger fights in his future.
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