Oscar De La Hoya admits he is excited about the possibility of pitting WBA cruiserweight world champion Zurdo Ramirez against unified heavyweight king Oleksandr Usyk in the future.
Usyk, the former undisputed cruiserweight champion, has previously spoken about his desire back to the division after fighting Tyson Fury in a rematch on December 21 in Saudi Arabia and De La Hoya believes Ramirez would be the perfect opponent for him.
“I think maybe after the rematch I will go down to cruiserweight,” said the 37-year-old Rule of 3 knockdownspodcast.
“I want tomorrow [fights at] cruiser weight.
“Maybe I’ll be undisputed in the cruiserweight division for a second time, that’s my plan.
“When I start preparing for training camp [as a heavyweight]I have to eat constantly. It’s demanding for me, I don’t like it.”
“Zurdo” secured the WBA belt with a unanimous decision victory over Arsene Goulamirian in March, making him a two-weight world champion.
The Mexican, who is preparing for a unification clash with WBO champion Chris Billam-Smith on November 16 in Riyad, recently spoke about his desire to move up to heavyweight to face the Ukrainian.
“Usyk is a diminutive heavyweight, but he’s right,” the 33-year-old said No seconds.
“I think it would be a good match.
“I watched him and followed him a lot and that’s one of my goals, to be undisputed at cruiserweight and then at heavyweight and I would probably fight him at heavyweight.”
Golden Boy founder and CEO De La Hoya admits he is intrigued by the prospect of his protégé fighting a two-weight world champion.
“I’m excited not because of his reunion,” the 51-year-old said DAZN.
“Yes, it’s quite exhilarating because it doesn’t happen often.
Daniel Dubois has revealed that his goal is an undisputed title clash with the winner of this weekend’s rematch between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury.
Dubois will defend his IBF heavyweight title against former world champion Joseph Parker on February 22 and arrived in Riyadh earlier this week to watch Saturday’s clash between Usyk and Fury.
After being written off by many recently, “Dynamite” has been in the form of his life lately, picking up three stoppage wins off the back of Jarrell Miller, Filip Hrgovic and Anthony Joshua.
It was said that the heavy-handed 27-year-old would immediately enter into a rematch with Joshua, but “AJ” and his team did not agree with this idea.
And keep talking talkSPORT today, Dubois stated that he has his eye on unifying the four belts with the winner of Saturday’s rematch if he manages to overtake Parker.
“I’m here in Saudi Arabia and I want a winner on Saturday night.
I want to fight for an undisputed result, that’s the game now and that’s the goal.
“100% [I would beat them]. This is my time now. I’ve had my ups and downs, but I’m a recent man.
“I am ready to fight for the undisputed, win it and make history.
“I evolved and learned from my mistakes.
“The team did well and I’m firing on all cylinders now. Let’s go!”
Like Dubois, Parker is also in the best form of his career and comes into the match on the back of upset wins over Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang.
The situation in the heavyweight division in 2025 depends on the outcome of the epic rematch on Saturday evening, in which three world titles will be up for grabs.
Usyk hurt and released Fury en route to a split decision victory when they first faced off in May, and many believe the ‘Gypsy King’ has everything to do if he wants to reverse the result.
A third fight between the pair is contractually agreed if the Morecambe man wins, provided neither he nor ‘The Cat’ withdraws after the second battle at the Kingdom Arena.
Paulie Malignanggi believes that Tyson Fury is no longer the same fighter he once was, and he will not beat Oleksandr Usyk in Saturday’s rematch.
Fury decides to take revenge for his own loss of split decision to Usyk in May, when he meets the Ukrainian for the second time in Riyad.
Fury was given eight points after tripping over the ropes following a powerful attack from his rival, and Malignaggi feels his three fights with Deontay Wilder, in which he fell four times, are starting to catch up with him.
“I don’t know if Wilder and Fury are the same after these three fights,” the 41-year-old said talkSPORT Boxing.
“Wilder certainly didn’t look the same as Fury to me, his impact resistance was always one of the best.
“He got up from Deontay Wilder’s punches that would have made buildings collapse, and now Oleksandr Usyk, a former cruiserweight, turned him around and dropped him in the first fight.
“What are the lasting effects of the Wilder trilogy?
“Who is one of the most devastating boxers in history.”
The “Gypsy King” suffered the first defeat in his 36-fight professional career, but announced that he would end the 37-year-old’s career on Saturday.
Usyk remains undefeated in his 22-fight professional career, and in May he won the undisputed heavyweight title, the first man in the four-belt era to do so.
Former world champion Malignaggi believes that Usyk, who vacated the IBF belt after the first fight, will repeat the feat.
“I will choose Usyk,” he added.
“I don’t think Fury has it anymore.
“It’s no disrespect to Fury.
“I’ve always loved Fury, I’m just not sure if he can bring him back.”
Frank Warren today revealed that a third fight between the two teams is in the contract – provided Fury emerges victorious and neither retires – while the long-awaited clash with Anthony Joshua could be an alternative option for the Manchester fighter.
Tyson Fury described both Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois as “very constrained” compared to him ahead of his rematch with Oleksandr Usyk.
Fury, who saw Dubois defeat Joshua in five rounds at Wembley Stadium in September, is preparing for a second fight with Usyk on December 21 in Riyad, seven months after his first professional defeat against split decision for the undisputed title of heavyweight champion.
The ‘Gypsy King’ insists he will box in a similar fashion when he faces the Ukrainian for the unified heavyweight titles, as well as facing his rival in midfield, something he believes both Joshua and Dubois were unable to do , when they stood against him.
– What can you expect from me? Fury said during his face-to-face meeting with Usyk TNT Sports.
“Basically the same thing I did before.
“Good boxing.
“It’s not normal for someone my height and weight to be able to box and move and slide, so why should I take that away from my game.
“People tell me: go up to Usyk, take him down and punch him, but if it was so effortless why didn’t Joshua do it, who is a massive, sturdy man?
“Why didn’t Dubois do it?
“These men are constrained compared to me, very constrained.”
The 37-year-old Usyk defeated “AJ” twice on points and stopped Dubois, and Fury became the fifth Briton to fall victim to him.
The Manchester athlete believes it cost him an impressive performance in his first outing and has vowed to remain focused when facing Usyk on Saturday in three weeks’ time.
“I belong to a boxer,” the 36-year-old added.
“Slip, slide, clip, hook.
“I’m going to do it, but with more focus.
“A little more focused on my job and I think that’s my path to victory.”
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