5 boxers to watch for during 2016

Gilberto Ramirez was set on starting his training camp in Germany for his fight with WBO super middleweight champion Arthur Abraham.

The Mexican boxer didn't care how far he needed to travel as long as he got his title shot.

Ramirez, who now resides in Los Angeles, had his passport ready. He was just waiting for confirmation to book his flight to Europe.

Turned out he only needed a four-hour car ride to Las Vegas.

Top Rank will officially announce Ramirez's bout with Abraham, the Armenian-born fighter who resides from Germany, during a press conference on Wednesday in Los Angeles. It will be the undercard main event for the Manny Pacquiao-Timothy Bradley Jr. match that takes place on April 9 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Ramirez (33-0) leads the Review-Journal's Top Five Boxers to Breakout in 2016 list. He's joined by the speedy Ukrainian Vasyl Lomachenko, Puerto Rican sensation Felix Verdejo and two of the brightest heavyweight stars in Luis Ortiz and Anthony Joshua.

Gilberto Ramirez

The announced fight between Ramirez and Abraham wasn't a surprise. It was the location that was the shocker. It was a virtual lock for the match to take place in Abraham's home country.

"I was very caught off guard after hearing the news," Ramirez said in Spanish. "We all thought we were going to Germany. This is what I've been waiting for so I didn't mind going to Germany, but to fight in Las Vegas where the biggest fights takes place, makes it much better. The year has started very well."

Many boxing pundits expect 2016 to be a breakout year for the 24-year-old Top Rank fighter.

Ramirez, who goes by "Zurdo," which means lefty in Spanish, has quickly rose through the ranks thanks to his unorthodox southpaw stance and length, which gives his opponents trouble in the ring.

"I want to keep growing my name," said Ramirez, who grew up idolizing Julio Cesar Chavez and fighting in the streets of Mazatlan, Mexico. "I want to be recognized around the world. Title fights like this help."

Here are the other four boxers to watch in 2016:

Vasyl Lomachenko

This one might be a familiar name to many, but with only six professional fights under his belt he's still very new to boxing fans. Lomachenko (5-1) stalled his pro debut to compete in the 2012 London Olympic Games. He took gold in London and also at Beijing in 2008. The 27-year-old quickly got a featherweight title shot in his second professional match against Orlando Salido. The decorated amatuer fighter got an overweight Salido and his first loss.

"Lomachenko doesn't talk about that fight," said Egis Klimas, Lomachenko's manager. He's forgotten about it. If someone asks him a question about it, he'll say, 'Next question.' He's a completely different fighter now. He's grown a lot."

Lomachenko has rattled off four consecutive wins since the loss, including winning the vacant WBO world featherweight title against Gary Russell Jr., another prominent fighter in the division.

With a devastating combinations and skilled footwork, many boxing writers already view Lomachenko as the best in the division.

Klimas said he expects Lomachenko to move up to 130 pounds to face the best in the junior lightweight class.

"He's not looking at quantity, he's looking at quality," Klimas said. "He wants to fight champions. He's always looking for a challenge."

If Lomachenko moves up that eliminates a possible blockbuster match with Guillermo Rigondeaux.

"We're done with Rigondeaux," Klimas said. "Forget about it. We've gone back and forth too much. We're looking at Nicholas Walters or a possible rematch with Orlando Salido."

Lomachenko is certainly a rising star, but he's not yet a pay-per-view headliner and it could be because he's not an American boxer.

"I don't think where he's from matters," Klimas said. "If you're good people will watch. Look at Manny Pacquiao. Who would have thought a Filipino fighter would be this big.

"When Manny retires. I can see him being a big star for Top Rank."

Felix Verdejo

Verdejo (19-0) is another Top Rank fighter on the verge of superstardom. Some might say Verdejo is a lock to be the next great boxer from Puerto Rico.

The 22-year-old Verdejo already has a large fan base in New York and is expected to sell out the Theater at Madison Square Garden when he faces William Silva in a lightweight bout later this month.

Verdejo is another boxing prospect who shone in the 2012 Olympics. The Puerto Rican gave Lomachenko his biggest test in London before falling in the quarterfinals.

Now, Verdejo and Lomachenko are expected to carry Top Rank once Pacquiao hangs up the gloves.

Top Rank promoter Bob Arum always speaks highly of Verdejo and refers to him as the next entertaining star people would pay to see.

Luis Ortiz

Ortiz, the Golden Boy Promotions heavyweight, ended the 2015 year by demolishing Bryant Jennings. That performance put him on the map.

Even at age 36, Ortiz (24-0) is not too old to be on this list. He's part of an exciting crop of heavyweights capable of bringing back the division to prominence.

It's been impossible for Golden Boy to find quality opponents for the Cuban southpaw. It became much harder after Ortiz knocked out Jennings.

Ortiz, who goes by "The Real King Kong," is expected to fight Tony Thompson next month, but could soon fight someone the caliber of Deontay Wilder.

Anthony Joshua

Tyson Fury isn't the only British boxer creating havoc in the heavyweight division.

At 6-foot-6, Joshua (15-0) is physical specimen with a powerful punch.

Like Lomachenko and Verdejo, Joshua competed in the 2012 Olympics and took home the gold in the super heavyweight division.

The 26-year-old fighter has knocked out all of his 15 opponents. Joshua is expected to fight again in London on April 9. One rumored opponent is Charles Martin, the IBF heavyweight champion.

Joshua hasn't face stiff competition yet and Martin would give him his biggest test.

Contact Gilbert Manzano at gmanzano@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0492. Follow him on Twitter: @gmanzano24