Former WBC/WBO mild welterweight champion Jose Ramirez (27-1, 17 KOs) has surprisingly handed up a assured title shot in opposition to WBC 140-lb champion Regis Prograis.
The transfer places by the 30-year-old Ramirez now places the subsequent highest-ranked contender within the World Boxing Council’s prime 10 rankings, Teofimo Lopez, within the scorching seat to take the struggle in opposition to newly topped Prograis (28-1, 24 KOs).
When informed final week by ESPN commentator Bernardo Osuna that Ramirez might be getting the primary crack at Prograis, Teofimo started bitterly complaining, saying that he was going to contact his promoter Bob Arum of High Rank as a result of he needs to be the one which challenged for the WBC title in opposition to Regis.
Now, if Teo was simply taking part in video games by feigning curiosity in dealing with Prograis in order that boxing followers don’t suppose he’s hen, that’ll be uncovered if he chooses to not take the struggle with the WBC champion now Ramirez has rejected the struggle.
If Teofimo turns down the struggle in opposition to Prograis, as Ramirez simply did, the subsequent two contenders within the WBC’s rankings are Sandor Martin and Gary Antuanne Russell.
As for why Ramirez turned down the title struggle in opposition to Prograis, ESPN says he wished a 50-50 cut up, not the 65/35 cut up in favor of Regis. In fact, as dangerous as Ramirez regarded in his final two fights in opposition to Jose Ramirez and Josh Taylor, his probabilities of dropping to Prograis could be very, very excessive.
In that case, even a 50-50 cut up wouldn’t be deal for Ramirez as a result of he would lose anyway, and his profession could be on the point of catastrophe.
“I’m upset in that cut up,” former WBC/WBO 140-lb champion Jose Ramirez mentioned through ESPN. “This struggle ought to positively be a 50-50 [split], and I used to be OK on taking 10% much less, however I can’t be preventing at no cost and danger an excessive amount of of a pay lower. Boxing is a tricky sport, and we need to be certain that we get valued.
“It is a enormous struggle that isn’t being promoted correctly. Hopefully, we will make the struggle occur sooner or later after we each get compensated as we should always.”
If Ramirez doesn’t take the struggle with Prograis, he is not going to preserve his excessive rating and can discover himself pushed right down to a decrease spot. If that occurs, he’s not going to get the cut up that’s hoping to get.
Once more, we don’t know if Ramirez is critical about that being his gripe or if he doesn’t really feel he’s as much as the duty of attempting to defeat Prograis, who arguably is the very best fighter within the 140-lb division and has been for years.
Prograis’ solely profession loss was a questionable 12 spherical majority determination to British fighter Josh Taylor in London, England, in 2019. You’ll be able to argue that if that struggle befell on impartial turf, Prograis wins going away.
Ramirez regarded horrible in his final struggle, squeaking by Jose Pedraza by a 12 spherical final March. Jose Zepeda, Prograis’ latest knockout sufferer, did a greater job of beating a youthful & more energizing Pedraza by a ten spherical unanimous determination in 2019.
Ramirez might be preventing subsequent in opposition to probably Richard Commey on March twenty fifth in Fresno, California. Now, that’s a winnable struggle for Ramirez, however one which doesn’t do something for him. Commey, 35, has misplaced two out of his final 4 fights and is trying previous it at this stage in his profession.
Jose Ramirez passes on Regis Prograis title struggle
