Zurdo Beats Joe Smith

Zurdo Ramirez Beats Joe Smith in Las Vegas and Other Results

By Lauren Rodriguez

LAS VEGAS, NV- Golden Boy Promotions held their latest fight night at the Cosmopolitan’s Chelsea Tower ballroom.  The event was a stacked card that entailed three undercard bouts and four broadcasted on DAZN. What began as a night of two back-to-back upsets for Golden Boy ended as a night with more victories than losses on Saturday.

The main event was a 10-round WBA title eliminator between Mexico's Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez (45-1, 30 KO’s) and Joe Smith Jr. (29-5, 22 KO’s) of Long Island. The cruiserweights kept viewers on edge as they struggled for control in the ring.

Making his return nearly a year after his first and only loss to Dmitrii Bivol (20-0, 11 KO’s), Ramirez made his return 20 pounds heavier. Fighting out of North Hollywood, CA’s Brick House boxing, “Zurdo” appeared with a different approach as he patiently boxed around the ring.

Sporting white shorts trimmed in red and green sequins, Zurdo focused on the body, seeming to hurt his opponent moments before Smith threw a right hook and fell over.

In black trimmed with silver, Smith began to lead as the aggressor as the crowd cheered. Ramirez began ducking shots before bringing his momentum back. In the fifth round, Smith began missing as Ramirez lined him up in the corner. Smith shortly exited before the two battled in the center. The two took turns throwing blows along the ropes before the bell rang.

In the sixth round, Smith attempted to windmill before Ramirez shot him down.

Ramirez used his jab as Smith kept his ears muffed. As Smith slowed down, Ramirez continued to box before Smith attempted uppercuts.

Smith cornered Ramirez on the ropes before attacking him with shots to the body. Ramirez exited before the two exchanged heavy punches. The final 10 seconds of the seventh round Smith amped up, attacking Ramirez from every angle as Ramirez tried to weave around the blows.

With only two rounds left in the bout, Smith continued to lead with his left hand jab as Ramirez circled. With heavy hitting hands, Smith clocked Ramirez with a heavy left that echoed around the venue. When Smith went over, Ramirez countered with an uppercut. Smith continued to drive Ramirez around the ring as Ramirez dodged and looked for an opening to counter his opponent. Ramirez began to corner Smith before Smith landed left and right hooks to close the round.

 Once again Smith cornered Ramirez on the ropes before attacking him with a flurry of combinations. Unphased, Ramirez swiftly exited and continued to work behind his jab.

In the final round, Ramirez began rolling Smith off his shoulders, mixing his jabs as Smith grew tired. The close fight was scored 99-91, a score that had many viewers confused as they felt Smith earned a higher score for his efforts. The unanimous decision in favor of Ramirez as winner brings Ramirez back to the forefront with a win after his year long hiatus.

 “I want to be the Mexican cruiserweight champion and that's what I'm working for…It's 20 pounds heavier, I feel great. He has a heavy hand but as a Mexican I can take punches. I need to be smart all the time and that's what I did,” said Ramirez.

Co-main event

The co-main event of the night was a 10-round bout between Bektemir Melikuziev (13-1, 10 KO’s) and Alantez Fox (28-4-2, 13 KO’s). The two super middleweight fighters took the ring in a battle for the WBA inter-continental title.

Within the first round, it was apparent why Melikuziev’s alias is “Bully.” Although much shorter, the Uzbekistani fighter jumped into reach as he attacked with heavy hitters.

Fox changed his approach in the second round, attempting to use his lengthy arms to keep Melikuziev at bay. Remaining the bully, Melikuziev jumped in and out of attack, pounding powerful punches to the body and face.

By the third round, Fox moved wearily around the ring, waiting for Melikuziev’s attacks so he could counter. Fox began switching up his movements, picking up his speed as he tried to become unpredictable. Fox’s tactics were nonexistent to Melikuziev who began attacking Fox’s body, including overhand shots to the face in his combinations.

It was in the fourth round that Fox was dropped to knees. Fox rose, resuming only to hang along the ropes motionless before the referee brought the bout to a stop at 15 seconds of the fourth round. After a TKO victory, Melikuziev took the WBA intercontinental super middleweight champion title.

In the light heavyweight division, Houston native Darius “DFG”  Fulghum (8-0, 8KO’s) faced off against Mexico’s Alan Campa (18-9, 12 KO’s) in what was to be an 8-round bout.

Campa began the round with a straight jab to Fulghum’s body. Fulghum’s double straight left jab quickly knocked Campa’s head back. Fulghum’s left jab and right hook left Campa fighting from the outside.

It was a left hand to the liver that quickly took Campa down to his knees at 2:58 seconds of the second round. The KO is Fulghum's 8th consecutive knockout since his debut in 2021.

“Statement made. I’m Golden Boy’s next superstar,” said Fulghum.

DAZN Opener

The DAZN broadcast opener of the night was an 8-round bout between welterweights Eric Tudor (9-0, 6 KO’s) and Jose Sanchez (13-3-1, 4 KO’s). Sanchez came fired up, immediately lunging toward Tudor's body. Despite clinching, Sanchez used every opportunity to rack up points. Tudor stayed along the ropes but never trapped as he used the bounce to duck from head shots.

By the fifth round, Sanchez began gaining confidence, hitting Tudor with a left and right. Sanchez’s approach dazed Tudor who seemed to tire out along the ropes as his eyes began to swell. Sanchez kept pushing forward, continuing to guide the fight with attacks to Tudor's body, making sure to keep his hands moving. The two circled around the ring in the final round, going blow for blow as they attempted to get their final hits in the bout.

The judges scored the bout  78-74, 77-75 a unanimous decision for Sanchez as winner.

Cruiserweights Tristan Kalkreuth (12-1, 9 KO’s) and Aaron Casper (7-4-3, 5 KO’s) went six of the scheduled eight rounds. Kalkreuth towered over Casper, his opponent coming to his shoulders. Casper began the second round with straight jabs directly to Kalkreuth’s face. Kalkreuth quickly dropped Casper with a left uppercut as the closing bell rang.In the fifth round, Casper dropped to one knee but rose at 8 seconds. Kalkreuth continued to attack with his left hand to the ribs. Casper continued exhaustedly before the bell rang. Casper retired before the 6th round could begin, giving Kalkreuth an end of 5th round TKO.

Daniel Luna (3-1, 3 KO’s) and Erick Benitez (5-5, 1 KO) went 4-rounds in the lightweight division. Luna towered over Benitez, his lengthy arms connecting with hooks. Benitez was speedy and resilient in his counters, tiring Luna out with body shots.

By the second round, Luna seemed exhausted as he lay along the ropes.  Although Luna began the third round with more energy than the last, he quickly froze. Benitez’s speed seemed to be too much for Luna who found himself on the ropes again. Benitez led the fight, shoving Luna throughout the ring, over and under as he attacked.

In the final round, Luna was on ropes as his mother screamed at him to get out from under his opponent's grasp. The judges scored the bout 40-36 and 39-37, a unanimous decision for Benitez.

Opening undercard

The first fight of the night was in the middleweight division. Victor Toney (8-2-1, 6 KO’s) and Jahyae Brown (13-2, 9 KO’s) went head-to-head in an 8-round bout.

Brown from Schenectady, NY began picking up speed in the second round before OhioanToney cornered him and took charge.

The two took their time, too much time as one corner could be heard yelling, “don't wait too long.” Brown attacked with overhand shots but Toney countered with an attack to the gut.

As the fourth round progressed, Toney began overpowering his opponent, almost making Brown cower before the bell rang.

Leading with his left straight jab, Toney seemed unphased by Brown's attempts to get inside. Toney rolled Brown's jabs off his shoulders before bouncing his gloves around Brown's torso and arms. Toney finished the fifth round with a right hook, leaving Brown in the corner.

Toney continued to lead in the sixth round, cornering Brown with a flurry of hits before the bell rang. Toney was quick to dodge and rebuttal, ducking low before landing a heavy hitter straight jab to Brown's torso.

The bout was scored; 75-75, 77-75 majority decision for Toney.

All photos by Golden Boy Promotions/Cris Esqueda