Dmitry Bivol vs Gilberto Ramirez – Results & Post-Fight Report

Dmitry Bivol successfully defended his WBA (Super) light heavyweight in style at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, as he widely outscored Gilberto Ramirez in what was a boxing clinic.

Bivol (23-0, KO11) was coming off a sensational points win over the consensus pound for pound number one Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez in May, while Ramirez (44-1, KO30) had built a long unbeaten record, and had reigned as WBO super middleweight champion, The Mexican had been in with limited company at 175 pounds though.

Bivol landed a straight right hand in an otherwise quiet opener, which caught fire right at the end of the three minutes. Ramirez warmed into things, and had decent second and third rounds, with Bivol slightly reluctant to engage, but he exploded into life in the fourth, buzzing Ramirez with a hard combination to the head.

It was cat and mouse stuff, and Bivol countered with some rapid and heavy shots in the fifth, as well as pinning Ramirez to the ropes to attack. Bivol looked to have found his range, and stepped up the pressure in round seven with a sudden burst, with the eighth seeing the champion tee off on ‘Zurdo’ who was again stuck on the ropes.

Bivol was in complete control, hitting hard without getting hit, and he was landing almost as and when he liked, and he afforded himself the tenth round off, before finishing the fight with authority, leaving the result in little doubt.

Two scores of 117-111 and a third at 118-110 ensured Bivol remained champion.

The chief support saw Chantelle Cameron (17-0, KO8) become undisputed super lightweight champion, as she added the vacant WBA, WBO and IBO titles to the WBC and IBF belts that she already owned, with a largely dominant points win over undisputed welterweight champion, Jessica McCaskill (12-3, KO5).

The fight began frantically, and ‘Il Capo’ Cameron was getting the better of the exchanges, landing well off the jab. McCaskill’s timing looked off, and Cameron was picking her off with ease, with McCaskill resigned to only the odd punch of success. Cameron was cut on her nose in round seven, and McCaskill belatedly got into the fight late on, finishing well, but she had left her effort too late, and two scores of 96-94, and a third at 97-93 saw Cameron crowned.

The vacant IBF super featherweight title was claimed by Shavkat Rakhimov (17-0-1, KO14), as he overcame a slow start before scoring a ninth round stoppage against Zelfa Barrett (28-2, KO16). The title was up for grabs with Joe Cordina, the previous champion, unable to defend due to injury.

Barrett made a great start, and hurt Rakhimov at the start of the third, before scoring a knockdown in the same frame with a superb counter right hand. Rakhimov began to force his way into the contest though as Barrett’s output slowed, and in the ninth round, the man from Tajikistan badly hurt ‘Brown Flash’, and scored a knockdown with an accumulation of punches. Barrett looked disorientated after beating the count, and Rakhimov went for the kill, and with the Manchester man taking clean shots, he was down again, and the referee waved the fight off.

2020 Olympic Gold medallist Galal Yafai (3-0, KO2) defended his WBC International flyweight title, but was pushed all the way and taken the distance for the first time in a tight split decision win against Gohan Rodriguez (12-2-1, KO1). Yafai didn’t have things his own way, and Rodriguez gave as good as he got. Yafai eventually came through by scores of 96-95 and 96-94, while a third judge scored 96-95 in Rodriguez’s favour.

Galal’s brother Kal Yafai (27-1, KO15) was last seen way back in February 2020, losing his WBA super flyweight title to Roman Gonzalez, and his return was nearly a disastrous one, eventually coming through on the cards after ten rounds against Jerald Paclar (16-6-3, KO9) at bantamweight. Yafai was on the deck in the opener from a hard right hand, but eventually came through by two scores of 96-93, and a third at 95-94.

Campbell Hatton (9-0, KO3) showed shades of his old man, as a wicked left hand body shot finished off Denis Bartos (9-6, KO6) inside a round of their lightweight encounter set for six.

Aqib Fiaz (10-0, KO0) also remained unbeaten, taking a wide points win over eight against Diego Valtierra (6-6-2, KO2) at super featherweight. Two scores of 80-72, and a third at 79-73 confirmed the victory.

Sultan Al Nuaimi (9-0, KO6) delighted his home crowd, stopping Sohaib Haque (4-3, KO2) in the seventh of their scheduled eight rounder at bantamweight. Al Nuaimi landed with a body shot that hurt Haque, who turned away from the action, forcing the referee’s intervention.

Majid Al Naqbi (7-1, KO4) was defeated for the first time, as the super lightweight was upset by John Lawrence Ordonio (8-4-1, KO4), who took a points win over four rounds.

Fahad Al Bloushi (11-1, KO2) took a wide points win over six against Irakli Shariashvili (7-13-1, KO2) at lightweight.