Three weeks after labouring to a 12-round points win over his WBA mandatory challenger Yuniel Dorticos, unified cruiserweight world champion Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez yesterday underwent shoulder surgery to rectify an injury sustained during his June 28 title defence.
Golden Boy, the 34-year-old’s promoter, released a statement today announcing it was a success while the two-weight world champion revealed he received several medical opinions before making a difficult decision to go under the knife.
“After getting three medical opinions and a lot of thinking, I’ve decided to undergo my shoulder surgery. I’ve been dealing with this injury since my last fight, and pushing through it just isn’t the smart move — for my health or career,” Ramirez said.
“Surgery isn’t something any fighter wants to hear, but this is the right call to make sure I heal properly and come back at 100%. I’ll be out of the ring healing until I’m cleared by my medical team, but I’m already locked in on therapy and the road back.”
Ramirez, who unified the WBA/WBO titles after a gruelling 12-round decision win over Britain’s Chris Billam-Smith in Riyadh on November 16, has been increasingly vocal about plans to achieve undisputed status at 200-pounds after committing to the division in 2023.
RING and IBF titlist Jai Opetaia (28-0, 22 KOs) made easy work of his mandatory challenger Claudio Squeo, during their rescheduled June 8 date and the pair’s timeline appeared primed for a collision course – Opetaia and his manager Mick Francis stressed as much.
Yet this news filtering through will have naturally put a damper on proposed negotiations, at a time where the divisional landscape remains unclear. Badou Jack-Noel Mikaelian 2 has this week been agreed after their May 3 matchup, while seven of The Ring’s top 10 cruiserweight contenders don’t have a fight booked at the time of writing.
Chairman and Golden Boy CEO Oscar De La Hoya wished his champion the best in his recovery, with no timeline slated for his return.
“We wish Zurdo the very best in his recovery and are pleased to hear that his shoulder surgery was successful. At Golden Boy, the health and safety of our fighters is our top priority. We look forward to Zurdo returning at 100 percent, fully recovered and ready to take on the biggest challenges that await him once he’s cleared and ready.”