Photo: Vincent Ethier – Albert Ramirez (18-0, 15 KOs) during his first fight in Quebec last January: a unanimous decision victory against Artur Ziyatdinov.
In a brand new series of interviews, Punching Grace goes straight to the source by writing to you the questions we asked to athletes, and of course, the answers obtained…
To get started, we speak with the man who is ranked 4th in the WBO light heavyweight world ranking, Albert Ramirez, who will face the world title contender – ranked nº5 – Adam Deines (23-2-1, 14 K .-O.), on May 25, in Shawinigan.
Before talking about boxing, what were your first impressions of Quebec/Montreal last January?
AR: ‘Honestly, from its quaint streets to its rich history and culture, the entire city captivated me. Also, the hospitality I received from the locals and my promoter’s staff was exceptional…I’m just happy to come back here for my 2nd fight and be able to further immerse myself in everything Quebec has to offer!’
In your last fight, you clearly won, but you said you could do better. In what areas would you really like to take your game up a notch?
AR: ‘This was my first full camp with my new team, and even though we work hard and have made great progress, we know there is always room for improvement. Without going into the details of the game plan, I can say that we worked a lot on perfecting my technique and improving my conditioning. Obviously, we are refining specific strategies to better take advantage of the opportunities that arise in real time in the ring… It doesn’t sound too exciting said like that, but you will see, we will capitalize on May 25 and when we reach another level, it will be thanks to the fruit of our hard work.’
As for your opponent, what do you expect from Adam Deines?
AR: ‘I know Adam Deines is a tough and respected opponent. Although he is mainly known for his determination against Artur Beterbiev, I absolutely do not underestimate his skills. For my part, as I always do, I train with the mentality that my opponent will put everything on the table, so no matter which version of Adam Deines faces me, even in the most intense of battles, I will have victory.’
And if victory takes you to the world championship: Beterbiev or Bivol?
AR: ‘Well, Artur Beterbiev is an established champion and his aggressive style always provides exciting fights. On the other hand, Dmitri Bivol is an exceptional talent with impeccable technique. To be honest, Beterbiev and Bivol represent unique challenges, and a fight against either would be a dream come true. For now, I’m focusing on my next fight… but all I need is an offer!’
4 more before we go:
Your favorite boxer? ‘Sugar Ray Leonard.’
Your favorite move/combination? ‘Straight-hook’, and that’s not a secret, but my team and I have been working on it a lot recently… so you’ll see!’
If you weren’t a boxer, would you be…? ‘American footballer.’
The most important thing to you outside of boxing? ‘Mi familia’, and for that, no need for translation.
