This weekend on ESPN, Top Rank hosts a doubleheader featuring two rematches that promise a fan-friendly evening of boxing. One of those rematches is the co-main between undefeated WBO featherweight champion Rafael Espinoza (25-0, 21 KOs) and the former champion Robeisy Ramirez (14-2, 9 KOs). Their first fight took place almost a year ago, and both men have their own separate things to prove on Saturday night in Phoenix.
For the two-time gold medalist and former world champion Ramirez, this fight means everything. Last time, he didn’t feel like himself inside the ring, and with good reason. His father was extremely ill in Cuba and family distractions surrounded him. All he could think about was whether he would be able to see his father one last time before possibly losing him. That’s a heavy burden to carry while preparing for a fight, but Ramirez was determined to defend his title and prove to himself that he could overcome it all. However, that night he fell short, losing by majority decision to Espinoza, who was a sizable betting underdog.
Ramirez opened up about the months leading up to the first Espinoza fight and shared this with FightsATW. “My family circle is small, and during that training camp, my father was ill, and I couldn’t go back to Cuba to see him. It was hard to deal with it, being that Cuba doesn’t have enough medical facilities or medicine, so I was worried that I would not be able to see him before potentially passing away. For months, I trained badly and just wasn’t focused. After experiencing that, I know that I have to do things the right way for this fight.”
In the last 12 months, Ramirez has had the time to reflect on the things that have happened to and around him, both inside and outside the ring. “The biggest lesson I learned throughout that time is that when you have something personal going on in your life that you keep yourself focused so that you can do your job correctly. That’s it. Staying focused on your job regardless of what’s going on in your personal life. Everything happens for a reason, and here we are now.”
Although an immediate rematch would have been ideal, both Ramirez and Espinoza took interim fights in June, and after they won, the rematch was negotiated and finally signed. Ramirez didn’t mind the June bout, even though the rematch was the more desirable fight. He reiterated that everything happens for a reason and that getting the fight now is when it was supposed to happen all along. Ramirez said his only thought going into fight week is that he wants to get his title back and knows he will have to go to war to do so.
Losing the title in December 2023 meant that a good portion of fans and friends would fall off as Ramirez was no longer the champion. With a positive attitude, Ramirez didn’t mind losing them, as he knows he will only gain them back come Saturday night. “That (loyalty) is super important to me,” said Ramirez. “I’m grateful for all my fans who have stuck with me and know the last fight was just a bad night. For those that left after my loss, I send them my best, and I’ll see you back after my victory.”
With everything on the line for Ramirez, what should we expect on Saturday night in Phoenix? “Another war,” said Ramirez. “If the first one was a fight of the year candidate and that was the worst version of me, then expect another war with me being 100% focused without any distractions.”
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