Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez is so confident in his ability to defeat WBA light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol, that he told Golden Boy Promotions he is willing to “fight on the moon if necessary” - according to Golden Boy Promotions' matchmaker Robert Diaz.

“When Zurdo signed with Golden Boy Promotions, the only thing that he asked for was the fight with Bivol," Diaz told Izquierdazo. “And that is why we worked so hard to get this fight done." 

The mandatory fight is scheduled to take place on November 5th in Abu Dhabi.

When the possibility emerged in the negotiations to stage the fight in the United Arab Emirates, Diaz said that they asked for Ramirez’s opinion before committing to the location.

“He told us: ‘I will fight on the moon, if necessary," Diaz remembers. “He asked us to trust him, that he can beat Bivol. Zurdo is very confident on a positive outcome for this fight."

Zurdo had expressed his desire for the fight to be staged at Los Angeles or Las Vegas, but Matchroom, who co-promote Bivol, had advanced a deal with the United Arab Emirates to take the fight there.

“They had an advanced negotiation with the people from UAE," Diaz explained. “So, it was either to go to the (WBA) auction or accept that location, and we decided to accept. We wanted the fight to be in Las Vegas, but what we wanted most was to get Zurdo his opportunity for the title."

Diaz explains that there is no rematch clause in the contract for the fight between Zurdo and Bivol.

“Not it in this case, because it is a mandatory fight," Diaz said. “But if the fight is very good, and the people want to get another one, it will be Zurdo’s choice. But, for this fight, there is no rematch clause."