Ramirez gearing up to get back in action

WBC/WBO super lightweight world champion Jose Ramirez is staying ready. The 2012 U.S. Olympian has not fought, since knocking out Maurice Hooker last July in a title unification bout. He was supposed to fight Viktor Postol Feb. 2 in China (Feb. 1 prime time in the U.S.), but it became the first major bout to be impacted by COVID-19. The May 9 makeup date in Fresno also fell by the wayside.

Ramirez is self-quarantining with his family in California’s Central Valley, but he is awaiting the call for the third — and hopefully final — Postol fight date.

In an interview with Crystina Poncher, Ramirez stated that he feels that when the pandemic is up, he’ll be one of the first fights back.

 “I’m just staying focused. I’m staying optimistic with everything, with doctors, with everyone, the first responders,” Ramirez stated to Poncher. I think everyone is working hard to get together to go through this fast and get everything back to normal. Right now, I believe this is something that requires everyone to be on the same page, to really practice {self-isolation} so we can stop the spread of this virus.
 
“I do know that my fight will be one of the first fights back when all this is over.”

We mentioned in our latest edition of the Big Fight Weekend Podcast the possibility of studio boxing. You can check out our thoughts on that as well as speaking with Showtime Exec Stephen Espinoza below:

Once the pandemic is lifted, Ramirez is still eyeing a fight with mandatory challenger Viktor Postol. The bout with Postol has twice been canceled both in China and the United States due to the pandemic.

Ramirez stated: “I owe it to myself to fight for all the belts just because if I were to go up to the next weight class, people will still doubt who the best 140-pounder is, just because there is another guy with two belts (WBA/IBF world champion Josh Taylor}.

There are some other fighters that I didn’t get to face at 140. I really want to prove a lot of people wrong. I want to do it for myself. I know I can be the best 140 in the world. I know I can see myself with all four belts. It’s just a matter of time, and once I do that, I think that’s going to put my name more out there worldwide. It’s going to definitely make a stronger impact when I do move to 147, knowing that the undisputed champion at 140 is moving up to 147. I think that’s going to make more noise.”

The last person to unify all the belts at 140 is someone also on his radar as well is Terence Crawford who currently fights at 147. Ramirez would also like a chance to challenge him as well when he moves up to welterweight.

 “I’ll take any route that leads me to fight for a world title. Crawford is an excellent fighter, so yeah, I would definitely be honored to share the ring with him. I think I’ll show him something new. I think I’ll bring something out of him.

By the time I do make that decision to move to 147 and put that extra muscle on me, on my body, I’ll be a much stronger Jose Ramirez. I can see myself developing into a better welterweight than super lightweight. I do have the height. I do have the body frame. I think once I put the extra seven pounds on, it’s going to be a huge difference in a very positive way.” Ramirez said.

Time will tell who he faces next, but the idea of getting the mandatory out of the way and a bout with Taylor to unify before anything materializes.