It was the homecoming that Avenal, California’s Jose Ramirez hoped for as he stopped Richard Commey in the eleventh round of an ESPN-televised main event from the SaveMart Center in Fresno, California when Commey could no longer handle the sustained body attack of Jose Ramirez.
The talk of fight week was that Ramirez was not facing Regis Prograis, the current WBC junior welterweight champion, who he could’ve faced, but was unhappy with the revenue split for the fight. Both Jose Ramirez, as well as Teofimo Lopez, opted to go in different directions, as Regis Prograis is now still without a fight date despite holding a world title. It is clear that Ramirez hears the chatter, and feels that he has some unfinished business in the division.
Ramirez came in at 140 lbs on the dot for this WBC junior welterweight eliminator. Ramirez typically comes in a tad underweight, typically 138 or 139 lbs. Ramirez last made 140 lbs on the number in December of 2015, when he fought Johnny Garcia in a fight Ramirez was dropped in the second round. Ramirez also fought in a catchweight attraction in 2017 in Reno, Nevada, at 142 1/2 lbs. Since winning the WBC junior welterweight world title in New York City, New York against Amir Imam, this was the heaviest Ramirez had weighed during that stretch and it appears Ramirez is not denying that welterweight could be in his not-so-distant future.
“There is two fights people want to see it is me versus Regis [Prograis], and me and the winner of Josh Taylor and Teofimo Lopez [SIC],” said Ramirez backstage in Fresno, California after his dominant performance returning to the ring. “Those two fights are something I want to do before I move to 147 [pounds, the welterweight limit].”
Ramirez’s key phrase coming out of this fight was activity. Ramirez is letting it known that he is coming to stay active in 2023, and Ramirez wants to return to Fresno, California before the year is over as whispers of a September fight date, echoed throughout the arena.
“It has been a year since I was last in the ring,” said Ramirez. “Sparring was great, but it is still different when you are in that ring. With eight-ounce gloves you feel everything.”
