How would Gilberto Ramirez fare in his biggest test to date when he faced Sullivan Barrera on Friday night from the Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles, Calif.?
"Zurdo" passed with flying colors as he pounded away at the body of Barrera to send him to the canvas three times, including twice in the final round with body shots to win via knockout at the 1:38 mark of the fourth round. DAZN News had the fight scored 30-26 for Ramirez at the time of the stoppage.
"(I) think my performance was great," Ramirez told DAZN's Chris Mannix in his post-fight interview. "(Dmitry) Bivol, you’re next."
Ramirez came out tentative and looked to be trying to process what Barrera was going to do and how he would attack. Then, Ramirez started finding a home with the left hand upstairs and to the body in the second round.
The body work paid off in the final moments of the third round when Ramirez landed a picture-perfect body shot to the liver to send Barrera crumbling to the canvas. To Barrera's credit, he made it back to his feet and the round. But that didn't last long.
Barrera began the round like nothing had happened in the previous round by landing a solid right hand. The shot was all Ramirez needed to see. He saw an opening in Ramirez and landed a thudding right to the body to send Barrera crippling to the canvas yet again. Barrera made it up, but the look in his eyes showed he wasn't going to be on his feet for long.
Barrera tried to fight back with another right, but Ramirez wasn't going to be deterred. He pounded Barrera every which way, and one final body shot sent Barrera back down for the final time, and the fight was waved off.
Ramirez (42-0, 28 KOs) didn't waste too much time on who he wanted next. Despite only having three fights in the light heavyweight division, Ramirez made it abundantly clear that he wants the reigning WBA (super) light heavyweight titleholder the next time he competes.
"You have to ask him (Bivol), is he ready for me?"
Here is what happened at Gilberto Ramirez vs. Sullivan Barrera.