JoJo Diaz and “Zurdo” Ramirez Got Statement Wins Friday

Although they got them in different ways, Former IBF Jr. Lightweight champ, Joseph “Jo Jo” Diaz and former WBO Super Middleweight Champ, Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez both scored impressive wins Friday night in Los Angeles that set them up to in the world title pictures.

First, Ramirez closed the Golden Boy Promotions card, when he pounded veteran Sullivan Barrera into submission with three knockdowns and a TKO in round four. Thus, he won for the third straight fight since moving up to Light Heavyweight.

Zurdo Ramírez finishes off Barrera with a vicious body shot. 🤯 pic.twitter.com/4vBURrGW1S

— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) July 10, 2021

It was a body shot left from Ramirez, now 42-0, that sent Barrera to the mat for the final time and referee Thomas Taylor waved the bout off.  The 30 year old Mexican Ramirez now hopes to get a potential 175 lb. title shot with unbeaten, Russian, WBA champ, Dimitri Bivol late this year.

Meanwhile, in the co-feature streamed live on DAZN, Diaz moved up successfully to Lightweight and dominated veteran Javier Fortuna over 12 rounds in a unanimous decision win that puts him in the WBC’s title picture at 135 lb.

The southpaw Diaz, now 32-1-1 used his right jab and straight lefts behind it to take control of the fight early before suffering a cut over his left eye in the third round due to an accidental clash of heads. Diaz was further frustrated by a questionable point deduction in the following round from referee Raul Caiz for a rabbit punch on Fortuna.

Still, the Californian Diaz was the better, fresher fighter as the fight wore and continued to score with the jab and body shots. Diaz’s best round was the tenth,. This, as he rocked the tiring Dominican with a multi-punch combo to the head and body, capped by a left-right combo that backed Fortuna up with the crowd at Banc of California Stadium near the USC campus roaring for Diaz.

The final cards were 117-110, 116-111 and 115-112 for Diaz, who had replaced former WBC #1 contender Ryan Garcia two months ago for the Fortuna fight. Garcia decided to withdraw citing “mental health reasons” giving Diaz the chance to jump into the WBC title picture.

Now, it looks like he could face the current champ, fellow unbeaten Californian, Devin Haney.