Gilberto Ramirez's January 16th Title Fight Called Off

Gilberto Ramirez's third cruiserweight title defense will have to wait.

Seven months after his last win over Yuniel Dorticos in June, 'Zurdo' was scheduled to defend the WBA and WBO cruiserweight titles against Robin Safar on Jan. 16, 2026. The fight is now off due to Safar suffering a hand injury, Mike Coppinger of Ring Magazine reported.

Coppinger reported that Safar suffered the injury in November, and January would not be a reasonable timeline.

Zurdo Ramirez’s cruiserweight title defense vs. Robin Safar won’t happen Jan. 16 as planned, sources tell @ringmagazine. Safar injured his hand in November and won’t be ready to go in January. If the fight can’t be rescheduled for February - Zurdo is set to fight David Benavidez… pic.twitter.com/bFT7GKAguc
— Mike Coppinger (@MikeCoppinger) December 16, 2025

Both sides are potentially looking to rebook the fight in February, per Coppinger's report. However, they are also open to simply moving on from the matchup.

The fight was always a tune-up of sorts for Ramirez, who has his sights set on a bigger prize. Ramirez has reportedly already agreed to a fight with WBC and WBA light heavyweight champion David Benavidez in May.

If the Safar fight cannot be rebooked in February, Ramirez is content to wait for his fight with Benavidez. That matchup would be for Ramirez's WBA and WBO cruiserweight titles, with Benavidez moving up from 175 pounds.

Safar, the No. 4-ranked light heavyweight contender in the WBO, also has a contingency plan in mind. The 33-year-old is interested in facing former champion Chris Billam-Smith or former title challenger Ryan Rozicki.

Gilberto 'Zurdo' Ramirez ready to move on to David Benavidez

Unless a third party intervenes, fans are not likely to see 'Zurdo' back in the ring until May. The money involved and legacy impact of the Benavidez fight certainly take precedent over a fight Ramirez did not show much interest in to begin with.

With there only being a handful of intriguing fights at 200 pounds, fans have been pushing for the three champions to face each other for years. Specifically, many have wanted to see Ramirez face IBF and The Ring cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia.

MORE: Amir Khan Sends Chilling Warning To Jake Paul Ahead Of Anthony Joshua Fight

The winner of an Opetaia-Ramirez fight would own four of the five primary belts, making them one win away from undisputed status. There has not been an undisputed cruiserweight champion since Oleksandr Usyk accomplished the feat in 2018 before moving up to heavyweight.

However, Ramirez continues to evade Opetaia and shows little interest in that fight. Ramirez's bout agreement with Benavidez places him in another big fight, leaving Opetaia without a direction after knocking out Huseyin Cinkara on Dec. 6.

Ramirez and Benavidez plan to headline a blockbuster event on Cinco de Mayo weekend, which falls on May 9, 2026.

The Latest Boxing News

Manny Pacquiao Reveals What Canelo Must Do To Beat Terence Crawford

Terence Crawford Drops 5-Word Reaction To Canelo Alvarez Rematch News

3 Potential Warm-Up Fights For Tyson Fury And Anthony Joshua Ahead Of Mega Bout

Tyson Fury Ending Retirement To Headline Riyadh Season "Mega Event" In 2026