Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez’s cruiserweight title defense vs. Robin Safar won’t happen Jan. 16 as planned, sources tell The Ring.

Safar injured his right hand in Round 5 of his November victory and won’t be ready in January.

Safar is interested in the fight being rescheduled for Feb. 21 on the Ryan Garcia-Mario Barrios undercard. However, it’s unclear if Ramirez would delay it when he’s already set to meet David Benavidez on May 2.

If the fight can’t be rescheduled, Safar is interested in fights with Chris Billam-Smith and Ryan Rozicki.

Safar, like Ramirez, is promoted by Golden Boy. The 32-year-old Swede, who fights out of Las Vegas, became a contender at 200 pounds when he upset former champion Sergey Kovalev via decision in May 2024 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Safar (18-0, 13 KOs) dropped Kovalev in the 10th and final round.

Safar is rated No. 9 by The Ring at cruiserweight.

Ramirez (48-1, 30 KOs) is The Ring’s No. 1 boxer at 200 pounds (Jai Opetaia is The Ring’s cruiserweight champion). Ramirez, 34, scored a unanimous decision over Yuniel Dorticos in June. Afterward, he underwent shoulder surgery.

Alexis Rocha and Raul Curiel will meet in a rematch on DAZN on Jan. 16 in Palm Desert, California.