On Thursday June 4th, the Casino Montreal in Montreal Canada will play host to an interesting bout with potential world title implications in Boxing’s 175lb. Light-Heavyweight division. Top contenders Albert Ramirez and Lerrone Richards will meet in a twelve round bout that can be seen worldwide on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN.
This will pit the unbeaten Ramirez (22-0, with 19 Knockouts) against the number six rated WBA Light-Heavyweight contender Richards (19-1, with 4 Knockouts) in an encounter where Interim/Regular champion status in the WBA’s Light-Heavyweight ratings, a designation currently held by Ramirez, will be at stake. Although such designations often amount to Boxing’s version of window dressing, this is still a fight between two top contenders in the Light-Heavyweight division where one fighter, Ramirez, is in position to challenge for a world championship, which in regard to the WBA, is currently held by the recently returned Dmitry Bivol.
As some recall, Bivol, the current unified WBA/IBF/WBO world champion, who also holds recognition by Ring Magazine as World Light-year weight champion, returned to action one week ago at the time of this writing, following a one year absence due to recovering from a severe back injury, which required surgery. In that outing, the champion dominated a very “Game,” but outclassed IBF number one contender Michael Eifert over twelve rounds to retain his unified crown. While by all accounts, Bivol appears to be by all accounts heading towards a third bout with former Undisputed Light-Heavyweight world champion Artur Beterbiev, a fight like this does offer a chance for the participants to maneuver into position either to face either fighter if a third encounter between the two is not in the immediate future, or to be in position to challenge the winner of that fight if it indeed happens.
As far as what this fight might look like inside the ring, this is a classic scenario of a puncher in Ramirez, who has a near 87% career knockout percentage, going against more of a pure boxer in Richards. Richards has only four knockouts in twenty professional fights. In his one career setback two years ago, Richards was stopped in six rounds by Steed Woodall. He has, however, rebounded to win his one bout since, in scoring a six round decision over Dylan Courtney in September of last year. Though he is ranked in the top ten of the WBA Light-Heavyweight ratings, some may question whether Richards is ready for what is likely viewed as a step up in class. On the flip side of the equation, Ramirez has stopped his last four opponents inside the distance.
Conventional wisdom suggests that if Richards is to be successful in this fight, he must use his range boxing out of a southpaw stance to try and establish an elusive target. The obvious question here will not only be can he do so, but more specifically, do it for all twelve rounds because Ramirez’ fight plan will likely center on trying to cut off the ring, limit Richards’ ability to move, and try to systematically break him down with the theoretically harder punches as the fight progresses.
While not necessarily for a world championship unless the political elements of the sport ends up dictating for one reason or another that the winner of this fight will be named champion in the event Bivol is somehow stripped of or chooses to relinquish the WBA world championship down the line, this is still an opportunity for one fighter to maintain his position as a mandatory challenger and for the other, a chance to move into the upper echelon of the division where there will likely be no shortage of opportunities for lucrative bouts both inside and out of the WBA rankings.
“And That's The Boxing Truth.”
Ramirez vs. Richards takes place on Thursday, June 4th at Casino Montreal in Montreal, Canada. The fight as well as its full undercard can be seen worldwide on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN beginning at 6:30PM ET/3:30PM PT.
(*North American Start Times Only*) (*Card and Start Time Subject To Change.*)
For more information about DAZN including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices, platforms, Smart TVs, availability around the world, local start times in your area, and to subscribe please visit: www.DAZN.com.
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