Gilberto Ramirez looks to impress the world against Alexis Angulo
Gilberto Ramirez is regarded as one of the best super middleweights in the world. He’ll try to prove it against Alexis Angulo.
Gilberto Ramirez (37-0, 25 KOs) is the WBO super middleweight champion of the world. He’s rated the number two best super middleweight in the world by Boxrec.com and number one by ESPN. He’s not a household name yet, but an impressive victory over Alexis Angulo on Saturday, June 30, would go a long way in remedying that.
For a boxer defending his title for the fourth time, Ramirez is relatively unknown outside of dedicated boxing fans. He’s one of the few elite super middleweights not taking part in the World Boxing Super Series tournament. Rivals like George Groves and Callum Smith have prospered in the tournament against top-tier opponents. Ramirez’s lack of involvement in the WBSS has him fighting subpar opposition.
Ramirez’s most notable victory came in 2016 against Arthur Abraham when he won the title. Ramirez dominated Abraham and won by unanimous decision. All three judges scored the bout 120-108 for Ramirez. He hasn’t fought a championship-caliber boxer since.
Ramirez demonstrated first-rate skills and stamina against Abraham, but it’s hard to judge how much he has improved since. He struggled with Jesse Hart even though he won by unanimous decision. Ramirez started fast against Hart, knocking him down in the second round, but faded down the stretch.
Alexis Angulo (23-0, 20 KOs) is a complete unknown. His undefeated resume looks good on paper, but he’s never fought a notable opponent. He has been a professional for eight years, but he has never tested his skills against a top challenger. Angulo lacks experience despite his eight years of boxing. He’s never gone past eight rounds in a fight and he only went that far once.
Angulo has no business challenging for a world title. He’s way out of his league against Ramirez. Ramirez can end this fight in two ways. He could pace himself for a stoppage in the later rounds. This would allow him to get some rounds in and stay active. The other option is to take Angulo out quickly. It all depends on what Ramirez wants to get out of this fight. He either wants some work or an easy payday.
Angulo could always surprise and put up a competitive bout against Ramirez, but I doubt that will happen. Ramirez is a tough southpaw who has the edge in every category. He’s the taller fighter with the longer reach. At 27 years old, Ramirez is seven years younger than Angulo but has more professional experience.
Of the little film I’ve seen on Angulo, he possesses some power, but his punches tend to slap. He doesn’t throw many straight shots. Angulo’s best punch is his left hook, which can do damage. He’ll have a hard time landing it on Ramirez, whose southpaw stance will position his right lead hand in Angulo’s way.
Look for Ramirez to stop Angulo by Round 6. Ramirez is a pressure fighter who throws a lot of punches. He will wear down the unseasoned Angulo, who probably doesn’t know how to pace himself for a 12-round slugfest. He’ll succumb to Ramirez’s pressure and superior athleticism and skill.
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Top Rank’s fight card starts at 6:00 p.m. ET on ESPN. Ramirez will look good against an unworthy opponent. He needs to step up his level of opposition if he wants to be ready for the likes of Groves and Smith, but he can wow fans watching on TV with a dominant performance.