Julian Chua, a former professional boxer turned trainer, works out of Brickhouse Boxing in Los Angeles. Chua is best known for working with Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez, the 33-year-old Mexican fighter with a record of 47-1 (30 KOs). Ramirez, a former super middleweight titleholder, has competed at light heavyweight under Chua’s watch before moving up to cruiserweight, where he recently unified titles with a win over Chris Billam-Smith.
In this Q&A, Chua reflects on Ramirez’s development, his loss to Dmitry Bivol, and his journey to becoming a unified champion at cruiserweight.
Q: What changes have you made to Zurdo Ramirez’s fundamentals?
Chua: Zurdo always had skills, but there were areas we focused on improving. Fundamentally, he used to punch wide and didn’t fully utilize his long reach. Top Rank had even mentioned that he didn’t fight like a “long, tall fighter.” We’ve worked on getting him more balanced—he’s no longer leaning over his front knee, and his punches are more compact. He punches with his knuckles now, instead of his fingers, which caused cuts before. His power has also improved; he had stopped every light heavyweight before he fought Dmitry Bivol, something he wasn’t even doing at super middleweight.
Q: How has strength training played a role in his development?
Chua: He never really lifted weights before, and physically, he wasn’t as strong. Chris Wong, our strength coach, has done a phenomenal job. Now, Zurdo can match cruiserweights physically. We’ve worked on grounding him so he can hold his ground and push back against opponents who expect to overpower him. This has also helped him mentally—many opponents come in thinking he’s “small,” but when they realize they can’t push him back, it disrupts their game plan.
Q: What tactical improvements has he made?
Chua: Zurdo’s positioning in the ring has improved significantly. He’s more aware of where he is and how to create effective angles. For instance, he won’t make big pivots against the ropes because that can give opponents an escape route. Instead, he focuses on maintaining control and attacking from advantageous positions. He’s also learned to limit long combinations early in fights and focus on breaking opponents down with three- or four-punch combos before stepping around to create angles.
Q: How have you tailored his natural tendencies?
Chua: Zurdo naturally likes throwing long combinations, but he used to overcommit, staying in the pocket too long. Now, he knows when to step around and reposition himself for follow-up attacks. For example, he used to counter with liver shots but left his head in the line of fire. We’ve worked on getting his head off the centerline to make those counters safer.
Q: What’s your approach to studying Zurdo’s fights?
Chua: I’ve watched every second of his fights, even before we started working together. I study what he did well, what could have been better, and which combinations or counters he naturally favors. From there, I tailor drills to enhance his strengths and minimize his weaknesses. I also show him specific examples from his fights to explain why adjustments are necessary, and he’s an exceptional student—he absorbs everything quickly.
Q: What did you personally learn from the Bivol fight?
Chua: For me, a big takeaway was seeing how Zurdo handled the situation. Bivol is the highest-quality fighter Zurdo has ever faced, and while Bivol won, he didn’t physically dominate Zurdo. That’s huge. It’s almost like Zurdo gained another level of confidence because he realized he belongs up there with the top guys. Bivol, who is considered a pound-for-pound fighter, didn’t batter him or anything like that. Don’t get me wrong—Bivol did well—but Zurdo held his own and left the fight with that belief intact.
I also learned that optics are a big part of the fight. How much the commentating and the public perception of what’s happening can play a big factor. For example, just because a commentator says, “Why isn’t Zurdo fighting in a Mexican style—moving forward?” it can give the public the perception that if he’s not moving forward, then he’s losing.
Q: You mentioned Bivol’s style. What’s your take on him as a fighter?
Chua: Bivol is exceptional at what he does, but he’s not the type to adapt mid-fight. He’s a master at his approach, and he sticks to it. He’s not going to suddenly fight like Pernell Whitaker or Chavez Sr. He’s not about making dramatic adjustments. Instead, he excels at winning rounds with consistency and explosiveness.
Q: Anything else you took away from that fight?
Chua: Absolutely. I learned a lot from that fight. I tend to overanalyze—take accountability for everything, even if it’s not entirely on me. Was my voice right? My tone? Did I miss something? That fight, Bivol vs. Zurdo, was my first loss as a head coach since I started in 2012, so it made me reflect deeply. Sometimes, though, you have to accept that the other guy is just better on the night.
Q: What are your thoughts on a potential fight with Jai Opetaia?
Chua: We’re in this sport to see who the best is, and I see things Zurdo can do that Opetaia hasn’t dealt with before. I believe the fight will happen at some point. But for now, we’re likely facing our mandatory, Yuniel Dorticos, next. That’s no easy fight—he’s older, but the last thing to go is a punch. As for Opetaia, he’s an incredible fighter—athletic, smart, and knows how to use his distance. Still, I see holes in his game that Zurdo can exploit. When the time comes, I see Zurdo coming out on top.
Q: Opetaia’s toughness and power seem to be his greatest strengths, right?
Chua: Correct. And here’s another lesson I learned from the Bivol fight: don’t base a game plan on assumptions without evidence. I had never seen Bivol look tired in a fight, yet we banked on the idea that he’d gas out in the later rounds so Zurdo could go for the knockout. That wasn’t smart planning on my part, and I wouldn’t repeat that mistake against someone like Opetaia. He fought through a broken jaw, so you know his toughness is real.
But Zurdo is a throwback fighter—ready to die in there if necessary. When this fight happens, it’ll be one for the history books. Two of the best in this era, at this weight class, going head-to-head. It’ll be a legendary night.
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