Ramirez dominates Ahmed with 6th round stoppage

FILE – CARSON, CA – APRIL 22: Gilberto Ramirez of Mexico poses for a photo with his belt after beating Max Bursak of Ukraine in a 12 round unanimous decision during the WBO Super Middleweight World Championship at StubHub Center on April 22, 2017 in Carson, California. Harry How/Getty Images/AFP

Mexican champion Gilberto Ramirez easily retained his World Boxing Organization super middleweight title, dominating challenger Habib Ahmed in a one-sided main event on Saturday.

Ahmed’s corner mercifully threw in the towel with 29 seconds left in the sixth round as their fighter was unable to fight back while being overwhelmed with body and head shots.

The bout was the feature fight on a card that also saw Filipino Jerwin Ancajas make an impressive American debut with a 10th round knockout of Israel Gonzalez to keep his IBF super flyweight belt.

READ: Ancajas impresses in US debut

The southpaw Ramirez improved to 37-0 with 25 KOs as he defended his 76 kilogram (168 pound) title for the third time since winning it from Arthur Abraham in 2016.

Ramirez said he was pleased to get his first win by a knockout in three years.

“This fight was really important,” Ramirez said. “We have been training for a knockout and we got it. 

“I never felt frustrated. I kept moving forward at him and tried to hit the body.”

Ramirez suffered a cut above his left eye in the third round from an accidental head butt. His corner did a good job of closing the wound so it didn’t bother him for the final three rounds.

He came dangerously close to knocking Ahmed out in the fifth round, connecting on separate occasions with an overhand right, right hook and a driving right jab before the challenger was saved by the bell.

Heading into the final round, Ramirez had landed a total of 90 punches to just 24 for the heavy underdog Ahmed, who was fighting for the first time out of his home country. 

He was ranked fourth in the division despite almost 70 percent of his previous wins coming against boxers with losing records.

Ramirez already holds the distinction of being the first fighter from Mexico to win a title in the 76kg division and now he’s setting his sights on unifying the different titles.

“Next I would like to fight with another champion from Europe or England for a unification.

“I want to be the best division pound for pound fighter.”