A world title will be on the line this Thursday! Albert Ramirez will attempt to defend his WBA interim light heavyweight crown against Lerrone Richards, who will be looking to win a title in a second weight class on February 5 in Montreal.
In the co-main event, top-5 world contender Dzmitry Asanau (11-0, 5 KOs) will look to continue his rise against Spanish champion Carlos Ramos (18-3-1, 10 KOs).
Also on the card, Montreal’s Mehmet Unal will face European champion Altin Zogaj in a bout where only one fighter will remain undefeated. Quebecer Thomas Chabot will go head-to-head with New Brunswick pride Dominic Babineau in an all-Canadian clash. Olympic medalist Wyatt Sanford will meet Argentine veteran Alexis Gabriel Camejo, while local prospects Kevin Beausejour and Dante Tice will also be in action in the first two fights of the evening.
Who will come out on top? Who should you watch? Read what our experts have to say!
Photo: Lerrone Richards / X
The Story of the Fight
Because of his airtight defense and elusive movement, Britain’s Lerrone Richards (19-1, 4 KOs) has long been considered one of the “most avoided boxers of recent years,” according to promoter Camille Estephan.
As a result, Richards struggled to capitalize on his IBO super middleweight world title win over Carlos Góngora and, after a surprise loss to fellow Brit Steed Woodall, decided to take his talents up to 175 lbs.
Even though he has only fought once at light heavyweight, the WBA did not forget his accomplishments at super middleweight, ranking him 10th in the world. And it wasn’t so much that fight that earned him his shot against Ramirez, but rather his sparring sessions with Imam Khataev last fall in Montreal—under the watchful eye of Marc Ramsay.
Photo: Vincent Ethier – Albert Ramirez
Defense vs. Offense
As mentioned above, while not the most spectacular fighter, Richards has a knack for making life difficult for his opponents. That’s exactly what Laurent Poulin of Boxingtown Québec believes will happen against Albert Ramirez (22-0, 19 KOs).
“It’s likely not going to be easy for the EOTTM protégé, especially early in the fight. I expect the rounds to favor the Brit, meaning Ramirez may eventually need a knockout to win. When Richards starts to slow down, I think Ramirez will be able to stop him in the 10th round… but it’s far from a sure thing.”
On the other hand, Manny Montreal of Talking Boxing has complete faith in Ramirez.
“If his opponent isn’t one of the three ‘Bs’—Beterbiev, Bivol, or Benavidez—I’ll never doubt a Ramirez victory. He has 19 knockouts and Richards has 4. That will make all the difference Thursday night!”
“I even think a knockout could come as early as the 3rd or 4th round,” adds British journalist Tom Eaton of the prestigious Boxing News magazine.
With Ramirez’s power, you won’t want to blink… we’ll see if Richards’ defense can hold up.
Photo: Vincent Ethier – Mehmet Unal
Who Will Stay Undefeated?
Also on the card, Turkish Olympian now based in Montreal Mehmet Unal (14-0, 12 KOs) will try to succeed where 17 others have failed—defeating Altin Zogaj (17-0, 9 KOs).
“For several fights now, we’ve brought in opponents who were supposed to be able to take Unal’s power, but each time it’s been the same scenario—he crushes them quickly. This time, though, he’s facing an opponent who has never been knocked down, never been stopped, and above all, never lost. I’m really curious to see whether the Mehmet Unal train keeps rolling toward a title fight… or if things start getting tougher now,” analyzes Nathan Décarie of Punching Grace.
Either way, like every Unal fight, it’s a must-see!
“Unal is a ‘real’ fighter. If he lacks finesse, he more than makes up for it with power, toughness, and explosiveness, forcing opponents into his kind of fight. In short, he’s never boring, and I don’t expect that to change on February 5,” adds British journalist Anson Wainwright of the legendary Ring Magazine.
Photo: Jeff Lockhard – Thomas Chabot
Thetford Mines vs. Richibouctou
Midway through the event, fans will be treated to an intriguing matchup between Quebec warrior Thomas Chabot (11-1, 8 KOs) and Maritime puncher Dominic Babineau (13-2-1, 11 KOs).
“It’s a classic comeback fight on both sides. Thomas Chabot is coming off a surprise loss, and Dominic Babineau has been inactive in recent years… but he remains an excellent veteran who knows what he’s doing in the ring. Thomas needs a win more. If he can exorcise the demons of his last fight, he’ll come out on top in a spectacular bout,” predicts Manny Montreal.
Arrive Early
Live on Punchinggrace.com, the action will begin at 6:30 p.m. with a matchup between Longueuil pride Dante Tice (1-0) and Argentine veteran Gonzalo Manriquez (6-7-1).
And you won’t want to miss a second, because immediately afterward, the second bout of the evening will be on many people’s radar. It will showcase the Quebec debut of Montrealer Keven Beausejour (1-0, 1 KO) against Czech boxer Petr Strnad (4-3-2, 2 KOs).
“I’m happy to see Keven Beausejour on this card. One of the best prospects in Quebec boxing, he has a very impressive amateur career, having boxed all over the world in major competitions with the national team. I think he should be able to become the first fighter to stop Petr Strnad,” commented William Dumoulin of Boxingnews Québec.
Photo: Vincent Ethier – Wyatt Sanford
He also encourages fans to pay close attention to the following bout between Wyatt Sanford (5-0, 2 KOs) and Alexis Gabriel Camejo (10-5-2, 1 KO).
“Wyatt Sanford won’t have an easy task this Thursday against Argentina’s Alexis Gabriel Camejo. Despite an unimpressive record, he has come to Quebec twice and taken two of the province’s top prospects—Jhon Orobio and Dzmitry Asanau—to the distance. I predict it’ll be three for three, as Sanford won’t be able to stop the tough Argentine.”
Now it’s your turn to weigh in on the #RamirezRichards card on February 5. If the experts inspire you—or if you think you’re one yourself—head to the Mise-o-jeu and Mise-o-jeu+ platforms to put your expertise to the test and win with the Tigers.
