On January 25th at the Casino de Montréal, Eye of the Tiger’s second gala of the year’s main event will feature Erik Bazinyan (31-0, 22 KOs) against Billi Facundo Godoy (41-7, 20 KOs) for the NABF and WBA Continental super-middleweight titles.
Albert Ramirez (17-0, 15 KOs), originally set to face American Charles Foster in the evening’s co-main event, will now step into the ring against former EOTTM protege Artur Ziyatdinov (15-1, 12 KOs).
Unfortunately, Foster sustained an injury at the end of his training camp, leading to his withdrawal from the bout.
“It’s always disappointing to have to change opponents, although it’s part of the risks in the sport. However, we’re very pleased that Artur Ziyatdinov has accepted the challenge against Ramirez because he will certainly bring an emotional dimension to this matchup! A local guy, highly appreciated by Quebec boxing fans, who has fought for us before and will be very determined to cause an upset! Albert Ramirez needs to be very well prepared because it’s guaranteed to be a war,” said EOTTM President Camille Estephan.
Albert Ramirez saw a significant rise in his rankings in 2023, securing the 4th spot in the WBA, 6th in the WBC, 7th in the WBO, and breaking into the top 10 in the Ring Magazine rankings. The Venezuelan-born light heavyweight thus faces additional pressure to deliver an impressive performance to the Quebec audience. The southpaw will have an interesting challenge facing a technical boxer with a similar professional record and slightly more imposing stature.
Artur Ziyatdinov has faced southpaws several times in his career and will be on familiar ground on the night of January 25th. His 80% KO ratio, against Ramirez’s 88%, highlights power as disturbing as his rival’s. Although he secured his 15th career victory in his last fight in June and has not been active since, he remains dangerous. Ziyatdinov aims to step up his game in 2024, and causing an upset would be a significant argument for him to pursue new opportunities.
“We would like to thank Camille and Eye of The Tiger for this great opportunity. Artur believes that he is going to expose the undefeated Ramirez and get the win. Being in his hometown of Montreal, Artur’s confidence is at an all time high and should be a great fight” stated Daniel Otter, managing Director of Three Lions Promotions, who co-promotes Ziyatdinov with Hall of fame promoter Lou DiBella.
The entire undercard for the preliminary fights will be announced at a later time.
Ticket sales for the gala on January 25, 2024, at the Cabaret du Casino de Montréal, continue on the website at www.ticketmaster.ca.