Albert Ramirez is ready for his first headlining act on Quebec soil.
The unbeaten Venezuelan light heavyweight contender arrived at his heaviest weight in more than two years for his scheduled ten-round bout versus Michael Flannery. Ramirez was 181.3 pounds during Wednesday’s official pre-fight weigh-in. Flannery – a 28-year-old British prospect based in Bangkok, Thailand – weighed 174.6 pounds.
The contracted limit was 182 pounds for their ESPN+ main event, which airs live this Thursday from Montreal Casino in Montreal, Canada.
Ramirez, 20-0 (17 KOs) was consistently under the 175-pound light heavyweight mark for each of his past three starts. Wednesday’s weight was his highest since he was 197 ½ pounds for a January 2023 knockout win in Deauville, France.
The 28-year-old southpaw is 3-0 at Montreal Casino, his home away from home since he signed with Eye of the Tiger Management, who presents this show.
Thursday will mark the second fight of 2025 for Ramirez, who stopped Marko Calic in the third round of their February 6 clash at this very venue.
Flannery, 13-0 (11 KOs), also 28, has fought primarily in Thailand since his December 2016 pro debut. He steps well up in class for just his second career road trip and first to North America while riding a five-fight knockout streak against pedestrian opposition.
The co-feature pits Mehmet Unal, 12-0 (10 KOs) and Poland’s Jan Czerklewicz, 14-2 (3 KOs) in a light heavyweight battle scheduled for ten rounds.
Unal – a 2016 Olympian for Turkey who now lives in Montreal – weighed a career-lightest 174.6 pounds. Czerklewicz weighed 174.2 pounds as he leaves Poland for the first time since his first year as a pro when he fought three times in the U.S.
Also on the show, Arthur Biyarslanov, 18-0 (15 KOs) and Spain’s Antonio Collado, 19-1 (3 KOs) collide in a scheduled ten-round junior welterweight contest. Biyarslanov – a Russian southpaw based in Toronto – was 139 ½ pounds. Collado weighed 139.8 pounds for his first career fight outside of Spain.
Jake Donovan is an award-winning journalist who served as a senior writer for BoxingScene from 2007-2024, and news editor for the final nine years of his first tour. He was also the lead writer for The Ring before his decision to return home. Follow Jake on and .