Robeisy Ramirez is looking to get revenge and reclaim the WBO featherweight title he lost last year against Rafael Espinoza when they meet for a rematch on Saturday.
Ramirez, a 2012 and 2016 Olympics gold medalist for Cuba, suffered a majority decision defeat against Espinoza 12 months ago. Ramirez rocked and dropped Espinoza in the fifth with a vicious right hook, and Espinoza evened the score by knocking down a fatigued Ramirez in the final round with a combination of punches.
“It was a great fight and we are doing everything possible to be ready,” Ramirez told BoxingScene. “Expect a war. Everything you saw in the first fight – expect more. But the result will be different. A knockout can happen in this fight.”
The overwhelming Espinoza was by far the busier fighter in the first clash, landing 222 of 995 punches while Ramirez answered with 119 of 376 of his shots.
Ramirez (14-2, 9 KOs) said he wants to improve his physical conditioning to outlast Espinoza (25-0, 21 KOs) in the sequel, which is set to take place as the co-main event to the rematch between Oscar Valdez and Emanuel Navarrete at the Footprint Center in Phoenix on ESPN.
“We saw how that affected me, and with the knockdown in the last round,” said Ramirez. “We’re sparring with fighters who throw a lot of punches. We’re working on my physique and movement. I’m leaving the strategy in my trainer Ismael Salas’ hands.
“You can expect a war when it comes to Mexican fighters. Mexican fighters have my respect. He was able to overcome obstacles in that fight. He got his second wind after I knocked him down in the fifth. It didn’t surprise me. In the 12th round he got me, but not with a big punch that I got him with. My physical condition was affecting me. He never got me with one punch that put me in bad condition. It was his night.”
Espinoza’s performance was even more impressive when you factor in that he had only fought past the sixth round once before in his decade-long career.
Ramirez last boxed in June and beat Brandon Benitez via seventh-round TKO.
Espinoza also last fought in June and defended his title against Sergio Chirino Sanchez with a fourth-round technical knockout win.
Manouk Akopyan is a sports journalist, writer and broadcast reporter whose work has appeared on ESPN, Fox Sports, USA Today, The Guardian, Newsweek, Men’s Health, NFL.com, Los Angeles Times, Philadelphia Inquirer, Ring Magazine and more. He has been writing for BoxingScene since 2018. Manouk is a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and the MMA Journalists Association. He can be reached on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube, through email at manouk[dot]akopyan[at]gmail.com or via www.ManoukAkopyan.com.
