The boxing world unites once again this weekend as two undefeated warriors go head to head in the light heavyweight division as Dmitry Bivol takes on Gilberto Ramirez for the WBA championship of the world.
Two fighters at the peak of their powers will go toe to toe in the squared circle live from the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, looking to prove to the rest of the division and themselves that they are the number one 175-pound fighter on the planet.
We'll take a look at the fight, break it down as best we can and provide you with our best free boxing picks to see if we can earn you some extra cash for the holiday season.
Dmitry Bivol vs Gilberto Ramirez information
- Saturday, November 5th, 2022
- Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- 18:00 ET expected ring walk
- WBA light heavyweight championship (175-pound limit)
- 12x3 minute rounds
Dmitry Bivol vs Gilberto Ramirez odds
This fight is sure to be an exciting match up, and that's reflected in the way that the odds have got the fight matched up.
Bivol opened as the favorite and has stayed that way throughout, with his status as one of the world's best pound-for-pound fighters cemented already.
Bivol is 20-0 professionally with 11 knockout wins, and nine decisions including each of his last seven bouts in a row. That includes his mega-money fight with pound-for-pound king Canelo Alvarez back in May, where he completely outboxed the Mexican to claim a huge win.
At best price -375 with BetOnline sports betting, you would have to bet $375 to see a return of $100 if you believe he can continue his perfect record.
He'll be coming up against a stunning fighter in Ramirez and this will be an incredible bout between two very good fighters.
Ramirez has a professional record of 44-0 with 30 knockout wins, including each of his last five fights.
He forced Tommy Karpency to retire at the end of the fourth round after the beating he gave him back in April 2019, before a tenth round TKO against Afonso Alves to show he carries his power late even at the highest level.
He followed that win up with a fourth round KO of Sullivan Barrera, and then another 10th round KO against Yunieski Gonzalez. His last bout saw him stop Dominic Boesel in four rounds back in May and set up this mega fight.
At a best price of +280 with BetUS sports betting, you can win $280 for every $100 you bet on Ramirez to end the dominance of Bivol.
Check out the best bonuses available with our top bookmakers here.
Dmitry Bivol vs Gilberto Ramirez preview
Dmitry Bivol is the same age as Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez, at 31 years old and both fighters are definitely in their prime heading into this fight.
Ramirez has a slight height advantage of two inches over Bivol, which also extends to a three-inch reach advantage and should allow him to use his jab and close distance better against one of the best pure boxing technicians in the world.
Bivol fights out of the orthodox stance, while Ramirez is a southpaw. The Russian goes into the fight ranked number 1 by the RING at light heavyweight while Ramirez is currently ranked number 1 by the WBA, 2 by the WBO and 3 by the RING in the 175lb division.
If you think ring rust and activity is a big factor in this fight, Ramirez has been fighting more than Dmitry Bivol.
Bivol last fought 5 months and 25 days ago, while Ramirez's last outing was 5 months and 18 days ago.
Bivol's last 5 fights have come over a period of 3 years, 7 months and 23 days, meaning he has been fighting on average every 8 months and 23 days. In those fights, he fought a total of 60 rounds, meaning that they have lasted 12 rounds on average.
Ramirez's last 5 fights have come over a period of 3 years, 6 months and 20 days, meaning he has been fighting on average every 8 months and 16 days. In those fights, he fought a total of 32 rounds, meaning that they have lasted 6.4 rounds on average.
Boxing picks: Back Bivol on the cards
Ramirez will want to fight at mid to close range, but Bivol won’t allow him to. He is one of the world’s best at controlling distance and by doing that he will almost certainly win this fight over the distance once again.
The Russian’s superior boxing IQ will dictate this contest and I can see Bivol utilising his amazing and difficult jab to secure the victory on points. Despite being the smaller fighter and having a shorter reach, his footwork is spectacular and the speed at which he can fire it off will be of big use.
To summarise, this is a fight between a big-punching, mid-range fighter with a leaky defence and limited head movement against a stand-up tall, long-range fighter with an excellent jab and wizardry distance-control.
Our boxing picks have Bivol’s style and skill to win this intriguing battle via unanimous decision, but he will have to be at his very best all night to ensure that is the case.
