Arthur Abraham (44-4, 29 KOs) is promising his best ever performance when he steps through the ropes to defend his WBO Super Middleweight title against Gilberto Ramirez (33-0, 24 KOs) on Saturday night at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
The two-weight champion, who will be making his Las Vegas debut on the undercard of Manny Pacqiauo’s fight with Timothy Bradley, knows he must bring his A-game to defeat the rising Mexican star. In preparation for his title defense, the German fighter has undergone an intensive training camp, which has included high-altitude training in the Bulgarian mountains followed by tough sparring sessions at the Kienbaum Olympic Centre.
“As a boxer your next fight is always your most important.
“In this case it is the circumstances which make this so special for me. I am fighting for the first time in Las Vegas, the fight capital of the World, against my mandatory challenger, a young undefeated fighter who will be doing his utmost to take my belt. This will be a tough test. I know I must produce my best ever performance to overcome this challenge and retain my WBO title.
“Fighting away from home, I know I must win convincingly.
“Especially in Las Vegas where the judges favour activity. This is what I have prepared for. The high-altitude training in Bulgaria has been extremely helpful. In terms of conditioning, I have rarely been better. The whole thing reminds me of my second fight against Edison Miranda.
The reigning Champion aims to make history by becoming the first German fighter to win a World title bout in Las Vegas. “This gives me even more incentive,” he says. “I’m proud to represent Germany on the World stage. I’m thankful for all the fans who will travel here to support me or who will stay up late to watch me on television. I promise not to let them down!”
