The WBO featherweight title fight, Espinoza vs. Ramirez, is about to continue. The WBO ordered the rematch between the champ from Mexico and the former title holder from Cuba this week.
The eagerly awaited featherweight rematch between Rafael Espinoza and Robeisy Ramirez has been officially ordered by the WBO. The two camps now have until September 19 to reach an agreement. Should they fail to do so, an auction will be held. This is how the chairman of the WBO Championship Committee, Luis Batista-Salas, explained it. The minimum bid in the featherweight division is 150,000 dollars. The reigning champion Espinoza will be represented in the negotiations by Zanfer Boxing. Ramirez, meanwhile, will be represented by Top Rank.
Espinoza vs. Ramirez – the backstory
Rafael Espinoza (25-0, 21 knockouts) celebrated his greatest success to date on December 9, 2023. He defeated Robeisy Ramirez on points in a thrilling duel and secured the WBO featherweight title. Espinoza landed the decisive knockdown in the 12th round in a fight that was hard-fought on both sides. The 1.85 meter tall Mexican is now the (physically) tallest featherweight world champion in history. He has also established himself as one of the most dangerous boxers in this weight class.
His dominant victory over Sergio Chirino in June this year, in which Espinoza defended his title by knockout in the fourth round, once again underlined his skills in the ring. The 30-year-old, who is currently ranked sixth in the BOXSPORT world featherweight rankings, is unbeaten and known for his explosive punching power.
Ramirez: Return to title fight
Robeisy Ramirez (14-2, 9 knockouts) is a two-time Olympic champion. He only held the WBO title for eight months before his defeat to Espinoza. His title win in April 2023, when he defeated Isaac Dogboe, is considered by many to be the highlight of his professional career. After a successful title defense in Japan in July of the same year, Ramirez seemed unstoppable – until his clash with Espinoza. The narrow defeat to the Mexican put an end to an impressive run of 13 consecutive victories.
But Ramirez recovered quickly. He made an impressive comeback in June with a win against Brandon Leon Benitez. The knockout victory in the seventh round underlined his great ambitions. In the BOXSPORT world rankings, Ramirez is only one place behind Espinoza in 7th place. The Cuban is determined to regain the title in the upcoming rematch.
Espinoza vs. Ramirez II – the showdown is getting closer
The new edition of Espinoza vs. Ramirez II promises to be another spectacular duel. After the first fight was described by many as one of the best fights of 2023, expectations are high. Both boxers have proven that they belong to the absolute top of their weight class and fans can look forward to another highlight. Espinoza has until December 9 to make his first mandatory defense as titleholder.
Text: Andreas Ohlberger