It took time and determination for Gilberto Ramirez to stage a comeback. His first attempt at the light heavyweight title was thwarted by Dmitry Bivol’s technical brilliance. In response, Ramirez made a smart move: he climbed up a weight class. That decision paid off when he finally captured a world title in the cruiserweight division. But a bigger test loomed when he faced Chris Billam-Smith for a unification bout. Seven months after surviving the Englishman’s heavy artillery, Zurdo Ramirez returns to defend his belts against top-ranked challenger Yuniel Dorticos.
Ramirez and the Cuban-born contender are set to clash on the undercard of Jake Paul vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Slated for June 28, the MVP-Golden Boy co-promoted event will take place at Anaheim’s Honda Center. For Ramirez, the stakes are high. A win could catapult him closer to a potential showdown with Badou Jack or, more significantly, Jai Opetaia. So ahead of this high-stakes Saturday night bout, let’s break down how the reigning champion stacks up against the former IBF titleholder.
Predicting Gilberto Ramirez vs. Yuniel Dorticos: Who has better stats and record?
Interestingly, both fighters made their professional debuts in 2009. But their careers have taken very different paths since. Ramirez remained active from the outset, racking up as many as nine fights in a single year! Over the past 15 years, the Mazatlan, Sinaloa native has compiled an impressive 48-fight resume. His lone defeat came at the hands of Bivol in 2022.
Yuniel Dorticos also showed promise early in his career. However, as a result of frequent inactivity, limited appearances, and key losses, his trajectory was marked by inconsistency. With two defeats, one by decision, the other by knockout, he enters the fight with a 29-fight record.
When it comes to finishing power, Dorticos holds a slight edge. Ramirez has secured 30 knockouts in 47 wins, yielding a knockout-to-win rate of 64%. But Dorticos is a proven puncher. 25 of his 27 wins came by knockout, giving him a staggering 93% KO ratio.
Ramirez vs. Dorticos: height, weight, reach comparison, and more
In terms of height, there’s little separating the two. Dorticos stands at 6 feet 3 inches (191 cm), while Ramirez measures just half an inch shorter at 6 feet 2.5 inches (189 cm). However, research tells a different story. Ramirez has a 75-inch (191 cm) reach, while Dorticos boasts a longer 80-inch (203 cm) wingspan, which could play a role if he manages to control distance effectively.
As for weight, the official weigh-ins are pending. But in their previous bouts, Ramirez weighed in at 199.6 pounds against Billam-Smith, while Dorticos registered 198.8 pounds for his fight against Alan Campa. So, fans can expect a similar range this time as well.
Fight prediction
Bookmakers have made their stance clear. Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez is the firm favorite heading into Saturday’s clash. With odds hovering around an 84% win probability, Dorticos enters the ring as a +500 underdog.
Age may be a contributing factor to this outlook. Dorticos, who turned 39 in March, is six years older than Ramirez, who celebrated his 33rd birthday last week. More importantly, Ramirez appears to be in peak form. He comes off a convincing unanimous win over the battle-hardened Billam-Smith. Dorticos, by contrast, has seen limited action since his last appearance on the Adrien Broner – Blair Cobbs undercard.
Ultimately, Ramirez seems to have the momentum, motivation, and matchmaking in his favor. A win would push him closer to an undisputed title shot. For Dorticos, this may well be a final opportunity to reclaim championship glory.
Our prediction: Gilberto Ramirez wins by unanimous decision.
Do you agree? Share your prediction in the comments below.
The post Gilberto Ramirez vs. Yuniel Dorticos Stats Comparison and Prediction: Record, Height, Reach, Weight, and Knockout Ratio appeared first on EssentiallySports.
