By Osiris Mendez

With the firm desire to be a two-time world champion this year, Gilberto Ramirez will take on the challenge of invading the light heavyweight division. He wants to take a preparation fight in this weight and then look for a potential fight with Sergey Kovalev, the current champion of the World Boxing Organization at 175 pounds.

In a telephone conversation with ESTO from Los Angeles, Ramírez affirmed that he has the physical conditions and boxing skills to make the jump to the light heavyweight ranks and conquer a new crown.

Ramirez is the WBO world champion at super middleweight - and moving up would make him the mandatory challenger to Kovalev.

When settling at 175 pounds, Ramirez will make it a priority to look for Kovalev, who recently reconquered the WBO crown on February 2, dethroning unbeaten Eleider Alvarez in a rematch.

"The goal of rising to a new division is because I want to look for new challenges in my career, a new title. The second reason, I just do not want to stay with one division, I want more, that's why I'm going to climb to light heavyweight. I know that I can become a champion there too," Ramirez said.

"I have planned to do a preparation fight first, maybe at the end of March or April. I've been training since January, so it would be very good for either of the two dates, my body is responding well, I will settle well this new division.

"After the preparation fight we have in mind, I would like to face Kovalev, he is a champion of respect, he showed it by recovering the title a few days ago, it would be an attractive fight."

Ramirez recently parted ways with his longtime training team, Jesús and Héctor Zapari, who formed him and took him to the title. Next week Ramirez will announce his new team.

"I am very grateful for everything I achieved with the Zápari family, I will always have a great appreciation for them, I am now forming a new team, I'm looking at some names to make the best decision," Ramirez concluded.