Latino Night Delivers Action Fights, Wins for Zurdo, Zepeda, Barboza Jr., Collazo

Boxing fans still sleeping off their Jake Paul and Mike Tyson hangover found the cure in Saturday's Golden Boy Boxing “Latino Night” card, its first as part of Riyadh Season in Saudi Arabia.

Zurdo Ramirez Becomes Unified Cruiserweight Champion

The cruiserweight division is a great fit for Zurdo Ramirez. Photo: Cris Esqueda, Golden Boy Boxing

In the main event, Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez (47-1, 30 KOs) of Mazatlán, Mexico became the unified WBO and WBA Cruiserweight World Champion and first Mexican fighter to do so after defeating Chris Billam-Smith (20-2, 13 KOs) of Bournemouth, United Kingdom. Ramirez had too much offense for Billam-Smith, winning a decision by scores of 116-112, 116-112, and 116-113.

Zurdo took a page from the book of his stablemate William Zepeda. He kept up a high work rate and kept coming straight at Billam-Smith. He showed no fear of any power coming at him. He walked through several hard shots. After fighting so long at super middleweight, having more body weight is an asset in standing up to power.

Ramirez said he prepared for a tough fight. “Me and my team knew he was a tough fighter and a strong guy. It was an honor for me to fight him and get the belt.”

Zurdo Ramirez will need an even better performance if he faces Jai Opetaia. Photo: Cris Esqueda, Golden Boy Boxing

The southpaw Ramirez still moves much like the super middleweight he used to be. “It was great footwork for me. But he’s tough. He came forward all the time, and he’s strong, too.

Ramirez had hoped to get a knockout win, but Billam-Smith wouldn’t relent. “It means for me a lot to try and stop him, but I couldn’t because he was really tough,” said Ramirez. “The hard training is done. It’s time to enjoy the night.”

Billam-Smith was gracious in defeat. “I guess there’s a bit of irony. My initials are CBS and I say consistency builds success, and I think that is what won it for him, his consistency.”

The Brit admitted the cut he suffered from a headbutt bothered him “a little bit, it’s part of the sport. At times it was going blurry and closing a bit. There were a few rounds where I couldn’t really see out of the eye.”

After a break, he’ll look forward to a unification fight against cruiserweight king Jai Opetaia. Ramirez will be the underdog in this matchup.

Barboza Jr. Beats Veteran Ramirez on Latino Night

Arnold Barboza Jr. got a victory over Jose Ramirez after waiting 11 years for this fight. Photo: Cris Esqueda, Golden Boy Boxing

Undefeated super lightweight title contender and top WBO-rated Arnold Barboza Jr. of Los Angeles (31-0, 11 KOs) got the win in the fight he’d waiter for over a decade, defeating former U.S. Olympian and Unified Champion Jose Ramirez of Avenal, California (29-2, 18 KOs). The scores were 97-93 and 96-94 twice.

The fight was a grinding ten rounds, with Barboza Jr. landing the harder shots and looking more poised and in control throughout. In many ways, it simply came down to wanting to win more than veteran Ramirez did.

“What did I tell you!” yelled Barboza, letting out a roar when hearing his winning results.

“This is a long time coming. I respect Jose Ramirez as a fighter, as a person, as a father,” said an emotional Barboza Jr.  “This is something I’ve been waiting for my whole career, 11 years in the making. I was thinking about hanging ‘em up.”

Arnold Barboza Jr. proved a lot of doubters wrong with his victory. Photo: Cris Esqueda, Golden Boy Boxing

Barboza Jr. called it his personal championship fight. He said he’d heard chatter criticizing his talents.

“I heard it all. All the people who talk, I hear it. I pay no mind. I keep my head down. I turn my phone off,” said Barboza Jr.

His next challenge will be to kiss and make up with the WBO, whose sanctioning fees he refused to pay. He now hopes to return to its good graces to be ranked high enough for a title fight.

Barboza Jr. landed 237 of 772 punches thrown (32%). Ramirez’s output was 194 of 521 punches thrown (37%).

William Zepeda Tested By Tevin Farmer

Tevin Farmer forced William Zepeda to work and to show the veteran the respect he deserves. Photo: Cris Esqueda, Golden Boy Boxing

Lightweight contender William “El Camarón” Zepeda of Mexico (31-0, 27 KOs) got a scare and a stiff challenge from former IBF World Champion Tevin “2X” Farmer of Philadelphia (33-7-1, 8 KOs), who showed what Philly toughness is all about.

Behind the strength of his impressive stamina, Zepeda pulled himself together after suffering a shocking knockdown on a hard left hook in round four to win a narrow decision. Scores were 95-94 twice for Zepeda and 95-94 for Farmer.

“It shows me we have to perfect a lot of things,” said Zepeda, who said he was happy with his performance, although he struggled to get into a rhythm against Farmer, who he said wouldn’t let him get comfortable.

Zepeda’s mistake was showing little respect for Farmer’s power early in the fight. It cost him the knockdown and nearly the win.

“I think during the fight (the knockdown) surprised me a little bit and maybe knocked my confidence a little. I had to draw on my experience to get through it and win the fight,” said Zepeda.

Shhh… don't tell Shakur Stevenson that Tevin Farmer knocked me down. Photo: Cris Esqueda, Golden Boy Boxing

But there is no denying Zepeda’s impressive engine. He simply keeps coming. Farmer did well keeping up with him, throwing 400 more punches in 10 rounds than in his last fight. The disappointment in not getting the win showed.

“The people that run the world, they decide that. Judges gave it to him. It’s what it is,” said Farmer.

“I think the knockdown edged me out for sure. When they said 95-94, I knew I had it. In fights like these, knockdowns make the difference.”

Farmer said Zepeda hasn’t been facing veterans like him. “I brought the fight to him. He wouldn’t have to find me. I’m right there. This guy stopped his last 11, 12 opponents.”

Although it was Farmer’s second straight loss, he and Zepeda delivered an entertaining fight, and Farmer’s stock didn’t drop. I welcome seeing him again should he decide to continue.

Zepeda landed 527 of 1087 punches thrown (48%). Farmer landed 366 of 737 punches (49%)

Collazo Becomes Unified Champion With Freshmart KO

Oscar Collazo took a big step toward becoming Puerto Rico's first unified champion. Photo: Cris Esqueda, Golden Boy Boxing

Puerto Rican WBO Champion Oscar “El Pupilo” Collazo (11-0, 8 KOs) is not the unified champion, adding the WBA title in his fourth title defense after knocking out Thammanoon “Knockout CP Freshmart” Niyomtrong of Thailand (25-1, 9 KOs).

Collazo stopped Niyomtrong for the first time in his career, ending his record streak of 13 title defenses since 2016.  Collazo also wins the RING Magazine.

“A lot of people doubted. The reigning champion, much respect to him. Look at where we at. We’re the king of 105 pounds from a little island called Puerto Rico,” said Collazo.

Collazo could have let it rip to entertain the fans, but he respected Miyomtrong’s impressive record and experience. He landed his combinations using various angles and moved out of range.

In the middle rounds, Collazo gained the upper hand with good bodywork to slow the Thai fighter down. He dropped Miyomtrong with a right hook to the chin near the end of round six, who survived to the bell.

It only delayed the outcome. Collazo backed Miyomtrong up and caught him cleanly with the same right hook, this time to the temple. Miyomtrong got right back up. Collazo kept coming and dropped the WBA champion for good with an uppercut, capped off by a right hook to the body. Referee Ricky Gonzalez rushed in to save Miyomtrong. Collazo dropped to his knees, celebrating the win at 1:29 of round seven.

“He’s a veteran, He knows what to do. I waited patiently for my shot. Mu corner told me to throw that right hook, and we got it, hit him right on the button,” said Collazo.

“When I saw him breathing hard, I just picked my shots. When my time is right, and I got the first knockdown shot, I knew that this was mine”

Collazo says he’s put the division on notice and wants to unify, making him the first undisputed champion from Puerto Rico.

Collazo landed 246 of 490 punches thrown (50%), with Miyomtrong landing 80 of 330 punches thrown (24%).

Duarte Gets Back In The Mix

Oscar Duarte has serious momentum after two solid wins. Photo: Cris Esqueda, Golden Boy Boxing

Oscar “La Migraña” Duarte of Mexico (28-2-1, 22 KOs) scored a solid win over longtime sparring partner Botirzhon Akhmedov of Russia (10-4) in a ten-round super lightweight fight. Scores were 98-92, 97-93, and 96-94. The close score from Steve Weisfeld is the right one. It's the second solid win for Duarte after defeating Joseph Diaz Jr.

“I knew that my opponent is a great fighter. We’ve trained together in the past. I knew that he was a warrior,” said Duarte.

“The adjustments we made were to take the initiative, work the body and the head also.”

Akhmedov replaced original opponent Kenneth Sims Jr., who withdrew due to injury. He won the earlier rounds, but the short preparation left him short on stamina in an offensive war. Duarte closed strong and got the win he needed to move toward a fight with a bigger name opponent. He specifically called out Devin Haney. Why?

“The reason I want to fight him is because he’s back, and he’s one of the best. If it’s not him, any of the best. I’m on my way back,” said Duarte.

Almaayouf Survives With Draw Against Garcia

Ziyad Almaayouf barely avoided disaster in his young boxing career against Juan Garcia. Photo: Cris Esqueda, Golden Boy Boxing

Ziyad Almaayouf of Riyadh (6-0-1, 1 KO) escaped with a draw against surprisingly tough Juan Garcia of Mexico City (5-6-1) in the welterweight opening bout. Forget the record. The combined record of Garcia’s opponents before Saturday is 23-1.

Garcia took the fight on short notice and came out banging. A fighter with nothing to lose presents a danger. Almaayouf found himself trading shots more than necessary, with trainer Buddy McGirt urging Almaayouf to box. Scores were 58-56, 57-57, and 57-57.