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Dante Stone is last American standing in
Inaugural WBC Grand Prix
Semifinals set for October 25 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Arizona heavyweight Dante “The Inferno” Stone (21-1, 13 KOs) is the final American boxer competing in the Inaugural World Boxing Council (WBC) Grand Prix in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Stone, 31, is preparing to face Kevin Cristopher Ramirez (10-0-2, 4 KOs), of Argentina, in the tournament’s semifinals on October 25 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The winner will advance to the championship final in December against the winner of the other semifinals match between Ahmed “Bosnian Steel” Krnjic (6-0, 4 KOs) and Keaton Gomez (13-3, 11 KOs).
Last April, 128 fighters from 40 nations entered four weight divisions. Now, just four boxers remain in each weight class. Winners will receive the Jose Sulaiman Trophy, over $200,000, and a mandatory WBC Silver title shot.
‘‘Dante reaching the semifinals of the WBC Grand Prix is a tremendous milestone for both his career and Torp Promotions,’’ Stone’s promoter Azat Torosyan (Toro Promotions, Inc.) said. ‘‘Winning this tournament would elevate Dante onto the world stage, solidify his place among the sport’s rising stars, and show that Toro is building champions who can compete at the highest level. We believe this is just the beginning of something very special.’’
After losing his pro debut in 2018, Stone has won 21 fights in a row, including three at the WBC Grand Prix.
“Being the only American left in this tournament is hard to describe,” Stone admitted. “There were other Americans when we started, but I was only focused on myself. I didn’t realize that I was the last American standing until I got home after my last fight. There’s a little bit of extra pressure being the only one left representing my country and I’m trying to live up to that.”
Prior to participating in the initial stage of the WBC Grand Prix—where he defeated Indalesio Teran by knockout in the second round—Stone had not previously travelled to Saudi Arabia.
“It takes almost a whole day to get there (Saudi Arabia),” Stone noted. “We usually go there 3 or 4 days before the weigh-in. Because of the time zone differences, we get there and just sleep. Then, we weigh in, fight, and go home the next day. Everybody is fighting under the same conditions as far as I know. Overall, I’ve been treated very well over there. Everybody has been very respectful, and I return the favor.
“Finding reliable, consistent sparring partners has been the most challenging, especially in my area (Chandler, AZ). Good sparring is the most realistic to a fight. I’m consistently going to other states to find good sparring.”
Stone defeated Emeliano Ezequiel Mendoza and Youness Baala by way of 6-round unanimous decisions, respectively, in the second and third phases of the WBC Grand Prix.
Ramirez, an Argentinian cruiserweight competing as a heavyweight for this tournament, is the reigning WBC Latino and South American Cruiserweight Champion. He has beaten three previously undefeated opponents during the WBC Grand Prix with a 23-0 accumulative record. In the semifinals, Ramirez fought Piotr Lacz to a draw; after a deadlock in the tiebreaker, the WBC Executive Panel voted 4-1 to award a win to Ramirez.
“Ramirez (205 lbs. in his last fight) is a smaller fighter (Stone is expected to outweigh his opponent by 50+ pounds) for the heavyweight division,” Stone spoke about his semifinal’s opponent. “He works hard, and I respect for fighting as a heavyweight in this tournament. I’ll treat him at his best like I do with every opponent because, to beat the best, I need to beat the best.”
Unlike many other fighters, Stone does not set aside thoughts of reaching the championship final before the semifinals.
“I think about the championship final all the time,” Stone admitted. “When I win, I get that trophy. I have a good support system in my cad and coach. Like my dad (Damien) says, ‘when you win this tournament, the sky’s the limit.’ I respect all these fighters (in the tournament) because most of us have to work (a job) to fight. I’m a care provider for my brother. So, I’m hoping to win this tournament and become a fulltime fighter.”
What about his 21-fight win streak?
“I always go into each fight just wanting to win it,” Stone concluded. “I don’t think about my win streak (21 in a row). I may be a hot fighter, but I have big dudes in the ring who are trying to hurt me.”
