Oklahoma City Fight Night: WBO World Champion Gilberto Ramírez and Alexis Angulo Press Conference Notes & Quotes

Thursday, June 28, 2018

Oklahoma City (June 28, 2018) – The fighters sat on a podium atop the floor where the NBA’s Oklahoma City Thunder play, discussing Saturday’s ESPN-televised card (9 p.m. ET) at the Chesapeake Energy Arena. The ESPN main event will see WBO super middleweight champion Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez (37-0, 25 KOs) defending his title against Alexis Angulo (23-0, 20 KOs).

The undercard will stream on ESPN+ (6:15 p.m. ET) and include the resurgent Mike Alvarado, female fighting sensation Mikaela Mayer, heavyweight knockout artist, and Oklahoma native Trey Lippe Morrison, and the pro debut of top amateur Christopher Zavala.

At the final press conference, this is what the fighters had to say.

Gilberto Ramirez

“Angulo is going to be a tough opponent. I expect a tough fight from him. He seems like a great fighter. His record proves it. From what I know, he’s a big puncher, and I know that he will try to knock me out. I’m going to try and knock him out, too. He doesn’t have a loss on his record, but he will on Saturday.”

Alexis Angulo

“I don’t feel like he has any advantages. We both have two legs. We both have two arms. We both have two eyes. We are equals, and anything can happen when you get in the ring.”

“It has been my dream to fight for a world title, and now the opportunity is here. Gilberto Ramirez is a great champion, but my time is now.”

Promoted by Top Rank, tickets to this world championship extravaganza are ON SALE NOW. Priced at $200, $100, $60, $40 and $25, not including facility and service fees, tickets may be purchased at the Chesapeake Energy Arena box office, online at Ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster outlets or by phone at 1-800-745-3000.

Use the hashtags #ZurdoAngulo and #SaucedoZappavigna to join the conversation on social media.
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Photo by Mikey Williams / Top Rank

The World Boxing Organization (WBO) announced the officials for this Saturday, June 30, clash between WBO Super Middleweight Champion Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramírez, from Mexico, and WBO Latino Champion and eighth ranked at 168 pounds Roamer Alexis Angulo, from Colombia.

The bout will take place at the Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, as part of a boxing evening presented by Top Rank.

Gary Ritter of Oklahoma, will be the referee of the fight. Ritter, who has worked as a referee in professional boxing for 17 years, has been the third man in the ring for world title fights in Japan, Mexico and the United States.

Javier Álvarez, of Texas, David Sutherland, of Oklahoma and Levi Martínez, of New Mexico, were appointed judges for the bout.

The WBO supervisor will be Richard De Cuir, of Sacramento, California.

For Ramírez (37-0, 25 KOs), this will be his fourth defense of the title he won at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on April 9, 2016. That night, he defeated German Arthur Abraham via unanimous decision.

Angulo (23-0, 20 KOs) became WBO Latino champion in Mexico with a second round TKO over local favorite Ronald Mansilla. The Colombian returned to Mexico for his second title defense in February, and knocked out Evert Bravo in the first round.

Ramírez-Angulo will be televised live on BoxNation, ESPN and ESPN Deportes at 9 p.m. ET.

OKLAHOMA CITY (June 27, 2018) – The Azteca Boxing Gym in Oklahoma City hosted a media workout for the biggest fight card to hit the city in years.

In the main event, Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez (37-0, 25 KOs) will defend the WBO super middleweight title against fellow unbeaten Alexis Angulo (23-0, 20 KOs).

Ramirez-Angulo will be televised live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes at 9 p.m. ET.

Gilberto Ramirez

“I am very excited to be in Oklahoma because since I arrived in the city I have been feeling the love and good vibes of my countrymen, from the fans and from the family of Saucedo. Everyone has shown their support.”

“The weather in OKC is like the warm weather of my hometown of Mazatlan, Mexico.”

“I feel that there will be a lot of Mexicans fans supporting me in the arena on Saturday night and that motivates me a lot. I come well prepared to defend my title and bring it back to my country.”

“I want to give the fans a good fight, and I want to show that I am the best fighter in the division.”

Alexis Angulo

“I’ll give my best. I can assure that the fans will be very happy with the fight. We’ve worked to take the title to Colombia. It’s a long trip and it’s been a strong preparation, so taking the title home is the least we expect.”

“Ramirez is a great world champion, which is why I think it will be an interesting fight. I’m sure he will also be prepared to give his best. I know it will be an excellent fight.”

Miami, FL.- Cuban trainer Pedro Diaz said that his Colombian pupil, Roamer Alexis Angulo, has reached the fight week of his scheduled clash with World Boxing Organization (WBO) world champion Gilberto Ramirez of Mexico – and according to the game plan they focused on strategy, but at the same time realizing that they may go to war.

“Alexis is fine, focused on the fight and regarding the possibility of going to a war… we are ready because whenever someone gets into a ring with a Mexican, he goes into that, into a war – whether or not he is a boxer with a renowned name, whether he is in his best shape or not., or is starting out [in boxing] or finishing up and he (Angulo) knows it,” said Diaz.

“It’s going to be a great fight definitely and I think that’s something that’s a sure thing.”

Confident, but at the same time cautious, Diaz also said that the weight limit (168 pounds or less) is not an issue in because they made certain preparations to get down to the weight limit. Diaz is always making sure that his boxer never sacrifices anything to get down to a certain weight limit, but at the same time he ensures that his fighter is strong and in his best fighting shape possible.

“So far it has never happened to us, where we ever had a problem with it (weight). Of course it can happen, but we have worked in such a manner where it won’t happen that way when we step on the scale on Friday,” Diaz said.

The Angulo-Ramirez showdown will be televised by ESPN. Angulo is undefeated with a record of 23-0 and 20 KOs. The champion is also undefeated, with a record of 37-0 with 25 KOs. And the televised card takes place at the Chesapeake Energy Arena of Oklahoma City.

Photo by www.BoxeodeColombia.com

https://www.boxingscene.com/angulo-prepared-go-war-with-gilberto-ramirez–129463