Promoter Oscar De La Hoya is ready to start with the marketing push for the November 16th Latino Nights event at The Venue in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The event will be shown live on DAZN at a time that is still to be determined.
In the event, WBA cruiserweight champion Gilberto Ramirez (46-1, 30 KOs) faces WBO champ Chris Billiam-Smith (20-1, 13 KOs). It’s questionable whether this fight should be the headliner because many U.S. fans lost interest in Ramirez’s career long ago.
Ramirez’s one-sided 12-round unanimous decision loss to Dmitry Bivol two years ago in 2022 is what made fans lose interest in watching him. He’s come back since to defeat Joe Smith Jr. and Arsen Goulamirian to become world champion at cruiserweight.
Many fans are looking forward to the William Zepeda vs. Tevin Farmer fight on the November 16th card. This fight should be the headliner on the card, not the Ramirez-Billiam-Smith fight.
Zepeda (31-0, 27 KOs) needs a win over the former IBF super featherweight champion Farmer (33-6-1, 8 KOs) to get a title shot against WBC lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson on February 22nd next year in Riyadh.
Latino Night on November 16th
- Gilberto Ramirez vs. Chris Billiam-Smith
- Jose Ramirez vs. Arnold Barboza Jr.
- William Zepeda vs. Tevin Farmer
- Oscar Collazo vs. Thammanoon Niyomtrong
- Botirzhon Akhmedov vs. Oscar Duarte
Lightweight Oscar Duarte (27-2-1, 22 KOs) will be facing replacement opponent Botirzhon Akhmedov (10-3, 9 KOs) in a 12-round fight. Duarte’s original opponent, Kenneth Sims, pulled out of the fight.
Former unified light welterweight champion Jose Ramirez (29-1, 18 KOs) and Arnold Barboza Jr. (30-0, 11 KOs) will be fighting in a 12-round co-feature slot. Barboza is ranked #1 with the WBO, and Ramirez #4. The winner of this fight should be getting a title shot soon.
Went 5-0 last night unlike you know who, now time for Latino nights in Riyadh. Nov 16 will be fuego 🔥 @DAZNBoxing pic.twitter.com/hT8WJHdRlA
— Oscar De La Hoya (@OscarDeLaHoya) November 4, 2024
