Gilberto Ramirez To Defend Cruiserweight Titles vs. Yuniel Dorticos

Gilberto "Zurdo" Ramirez's next title defense is now set.

The Ring reported that Ramirez is set to defend his WBA and WBO cruiserweight titles on June 28 on DAZN against former IBF champion Yuniel Dorticos. For Ramirez (47-1, 30 KOs), it'll be the first defense of his unified belts after he nabbed the WBO cruiserweight title with a unanimous decision victory over Chris Billiam-Smith on Nov. 16.

Gilberto 'Zurdo' Ramirez will defend his WBA & WBO cruiserweight world titles vs Yuniel Dorticos on June 28th, The Ring has learned.
— Ring Magazine (@ringmagazine) March 4, 2025

Ramirez, 33, became the WBO cruiserweight champion with a unanimous decision win over the previously undefeated Arsen Goulamirian on March 30. Ramirez has gone 3-0 as a cruiserweight and was previously the WBO super middleweight champion. The lone loss of his career came against undisputed light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol.

Dorticos (27-2, 25 KOs), who is the mandatory challenger for Ramirez's WBA title, has only fought four times since 2020. He won the IBF belt with a 10th round stoppage of Andrew Tabiti on June 15, 2019, but lost it in his next bout with a majority decision loss to Mairis Briedis in the final of the World Boxing Super Series on Sept. 26, 2020.

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Dorticos, 38, also took part in the first rendition of the WBSS in the cruiserweight division and lost by 12th round stoppage to Murat Gassiev on Feb. 3, 2018, in a Fight of the Year contender. Oleksandr Usyk went on to defeat Gassiev in the final of the tournament.

Dorticos has won three straight since his loss to Briedis and hasn't gone beyond the second round in that span.

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