WBO super-middleweight world champion Gilberto Ramirez was overshadowed by his own undercard at the Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City.
But then Alex Saucedo versus Lenny Zappavigna would have outshone any fight this year. They had a brutal, bloody and thrilling collision. Zappavigna came storming back in the fourth round, throwing a tremendous volume of punches. Saucedo had taken damage. But he rallied, Zappavigna was badly cut, bruised and being battered when his corner pulled him out in the seventh round.
“I said that I was ready for whatever he was going to bring the ring. Tonight I proved it. That was a very tough fourth round, but I got through it because I’m mentally strong. It was a very long training camp and I thought of all the sacrifices I made to prepare for this fight. I did it. I got a big win against a great fighter and in front of my fans. We gave them an exciting fight. Now I’m ready to move on to bigger and better things. I want to become a world champion,” Saucedo said.
Mexico’s Ramirez took a more prosaic points win over Colombia’s Alexis Angulo. After 12 rounds he took the decision 119-109 for Javier Alvarez and David Sutherland, while Levi Martinez scored 120-108 for Ramirez as well.
“He was an undefeated. He came with a lot of hunger to try to take away my world title. I’m not happy with my performance, but I got the job done,” Ramirez concluded.
“I’m still a world champion. I want to go back to the gym to start training and evolve as a fighter. I want to unify titles and I want to be one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world.”
