Albert Ramirez will put his WBA interim light heavyweight title on the line for the first time when he faces once-beaten Lerrone Richards on Thursday night at the Montreal Casino, Montreal.
The 33-year-old Venezuelan is ready to show out against the British challenger.
“We’ve been working hard, getting better and better,” Ramirez (22-0, 19 knockouts) told punchinggrace.com. “We’ve been preparing to show what we’ve been working on and no matter who is in front [of us] we are ready to go for war.
“I’m going round-by-round to enjoy myself, enjoy the spotlight, enjoy the fans and give what I have to give and we’ll see round-by-round how he’s fighting and how I’m adjusting to it.”
Photo: Vitor Munhoz – Albert Ramirez and Lerrone Richards
Ramirez claimed the interim title last time out when he stopped the tricky Jerome Pampellone in seven-rounds on August 8.
“It was a question of days that we got the news [of fighting for the title] and we took it right away,” he said. “We prepare for anyone out there, we’re ready for war and we won. At this point in my career, I’m not surprised by anything.”
The win was greeted by his countryman and even saw him meet the president.
“It was something very beautiful,” he said proudly. “I really wanted to come back to my country as a champion and all the love that I received to be recognized by the authorities and family, it was something very beautiful.”
Ramirez goal is to remove the asterisk from the title designation and search out the biggest name in his weight class.
Photo: Mikey Williams – Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev
“Whenever the phone rings, I will be ready, we’re waiting for that call, we’re ready for war,” he said. “The main goal this year is [Ring, IBF, WBA, WBO champion Dmitry] Bivol.”
Eye of The Tiger president Camille Estephan is determined to secure a fight with the big names at 175-pounds, if he can get past Richards.
“We can not look past this guy, Lerrone is a very good fighter, he’s tricky, very good boxer but if he wins the way we think he can, I would like him to fight [Artur] Beterbiev or Bivol. We’re going to try to make that happen.”
