MONTREAL – For its second event on the 2024 calendar, Eye of the Tiger will present, on January 25th, at the Cabaret du Casino de Montréal, an event that features world contender Erik Bazinyan facing veteran Billi Facundo Godoy for the NABF and WBA Continental North America titles, and Albert Ramirez arrives in Quebec for the first time, aiming to conquer the WBA International belt in a striking showdown against American southpaw Charles Foster.
Bazinyan (31-0, 22 KOs) has surged through the rankings, breaking into the top 5 of each federation. Currently ranked #2 WBA, #3 WBC, #3 WBO, and #4 IBF, the Armenian-born boxer based in Montreal has engaged in 3 bouts in 2023, each pushing him to elevate his game.
He began the year facing Alantez Fox, fresh from a world championship fight. The match wasn’t easy, but Bazinyan’s character allowed him to secure a victory in 10 rounds. To cap off the year in October, he triumphed over Ronald Ellis, knocking him out quicker than anyone prior, marking his 31st career win. To start 2024, he’ll face Argentine veteran Godoy (41-7, 20 KOs), known for his resilience.
“Despite Erik being ranked in the top 5 by all associations, it’s important to keep him active while selecting opponents that will allow him to continue his progression, and that’s precisely what Godoy represents. The Argentine notably withstood John Ryder’s charges for 10 rounds, which is no small feat. So, it’ll be an interesting challenge for us,” notes Bazinyan’s trainer and EOTTM’s development director, Marc Ramsay.
Godoy isn’t a newcomer; he boasts more considerable experience in the professional circuit than Ramsay’s protege. With 48 fights and 299 boxing rounds under his belt, he arrives in Montreal aiming to snatch Bazinyan’s NABF title and lay claim to the WBA Continental North America title. Godoy will need to be strategic, precise, and powerful to prevail against “Bzo.”
In the evening’s semifinal, light heavyweight Ramirez (17-0, 15 KOs) will be fighting for the first time in Quebec in an eliminator bout for the #2 spot in the WBA rankings, with the vacant International title at stake. The Venezuelan southpaw has seen success since turning professional in 2018, propelling him to 4th in the WBA, 6th in the WBC, 7th in the WBO. Experienced in championship fights, the powerful hitter has all it takes to carve out a place in a competitive division.
Foster (22-1, 12 KOs) aims to be a disruptor and slow Ramirez’s progression when he steps into the ring on January 25th. He’ll be one of the few southpaws the currently 8th-ranked light heavyweight on BoxRec faces, presenting a challenge in itself. Foster was undefeated until he met hopeful Ali Izmailov for the IBF-USBA title, where he completed the scheduled 10 rounds in a close fight.
Marc Ramsay knows Foster and is certain that this bout will benefit Ramirez’s journey toward the top of the rankings:
“Albert Ramirez now needs to face higher-quality opponents, and that’s precisely what we have in Foster, who has previously come to Montreal as a sparring partner for Artur Beterbiev. He showed then that he was a very resilient boxer and displayed discipline in training.”