2025 has already heralded in a couple of surprises as the WBA has ordered WBA light-heavyweight beltholder Gilberto Ramirez to face mandatory challenger Yuniel Dorticos. This decision forms a stark contrast against the WBA’s refusal to order Uzbek mandatory challenger Murodjon Akhmadaliev and undisputed super bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue to face each other.

Both Gilberto Ramirez (47-1, 30 KO’s) and Naoya Inoue (28-0, 25 KO’s) have been allowed to face their respective opponents over their mandatory challengers, with Ramirez having faced little resistance to unify his WBA title against WBO cruiserweight (200 lbs) champion Chris Billam-Smith (20-2, 13 KO’s)―though it should be noted unification fights are considered important to the sport by the various sanctioning bodies and are therefore prioritized.

In the case of Japanese undisputed super bantamweight (122 lbs) champion Naoya Inoue, however―who was given an exemption to face Irish contender TJ Doheny (26-5, 20 KO’s) rather than WBA mandatory challenger Murodjon Akhmadaliev (13-1, 10 KO’s), the WBA has been much more reluctant in being consistent. Instead of ordering a bout following Inoue’s win over Doheny last year, no mandate for a Inoue-Akhmadaliev bout emerged which allowed the IBF to slip in their own mandate for Inoue to face Australian IBF mandatory Sam Goodman (19-0, 8 KO’s).

Now, the WBA has decided to be consistent again by ordering Gilberto Ramirez and Cuban WBA mandatory Yuniel Dorticos (27-2, 25 KO’s) to begin negotiations for a mandatory bout. As the WBA would state in their own press release, the fight is overdue given it had first been ordered in July of 2024. Despite the fight having been close to heading to purse bids―with even an extension having been granted to both parties, the bout was eventually scrapped after Ramirez was confirmed to be facing Chris Billam-Smith instead.

Ramirez defeated Billam-Smith last November to become the unified [WBA & WBO] cruiserweight champion, and despite a unification fight brewing between Ramirez and IBF champion Jai Opetaia (27-0, 21 KO’s), the WBA stepped in by re-ordering the Ramirez-Dorticos bout.

The WBA’s differing reactions towards Ramirez and Inoue shows a more relaxed policy towards prestigious champions, with Inoue largely considered one of the best fighters on the planet―further characterized by his position as an undisputed champion.

Though Ramirez is currently a unified champion, it appears his name recognition is significantly lower than Inoue’s according to the WBA, which would explain the WBA’s preference to enforce their rules on Ramirez rather than Inoue.