Gilberto Ramirez v Chris Billam-Smith: Mexican unifies titles with points win

Billam-Smith battles valiantly but Ramirez’s class shines through

In a pulsating light-heavyweight unification clash at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez (45-0, 30 KOs) added the WBO belt to his WBC and Ring Magazine titles with a unanimous decision victory over Chris Billam-Smith (16-2, 11 KOs) on Saturday night. Following a cagey opening round, Ramirez began to find his range and rhythm, peppering Billam-Smith with sharp jabs and accurate combinations.

Billam-Smith, to his credit, showed tremendous heart and determination, battling back in the middle rounds and landing some heavy blows of his own. However, Ramirez’s superior speed and footwork proved too much for the brave Brit, who was unable to close the distance and land his vaunted power shots with any consistency.

Ramirez extends unbeaten record, eyes bigger fights

As the fight wore on, Ramirez’s class and experience began to tell, as he controlled the pace and dictated the terms of the engagement. Billam-Smith, despite his best efforts, was unable to find a way through Ramirez’s tight defense and ultimately succumbed to a unanimous decision defeat (118-110, 118-110, 117-111). The victory extends Ramirez’s unbeaten record to 45-0 and sets up a potential mega-fight with unified WBA, IBF, and WBC champion Artur Beterbiev.