Robeisy Ramirez is scheduled to defend his 126-pound belt against Rafael Espinoza on Saurday in Pembroke Pines, Florida.
ROBEISY RAMIREZ (13-1, 8 KOs)
vs. RAFAEL ESPINOZA (21-0, 18 KOs)
- Date: Saturday, Dec. 9
- Time: 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
- Where: Charles F. Dodge City Center, Pembroke Pines, Florida
- TV/Stream: ESPN, ESPN+
- Division: Featherweight (126 pounds)
- At stake: Ramirez’s WBO title
- Odds: Ramirez 10-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
- Also on the card: Xander Zayas vs. Jorge Fortea, junior middleweights; Bruce Carringtom vs. Jason Sanchez, featherweights; Richard Torrez Jr. vs. Curtis Harper, heavyweights
- Prediction: Ramirez UD
- Background: Ramirez, the former two-time Olympic champion from Cuba, defeated Isaac Dogboe by a one-sided decision to win the vacant WBO 126-pound title this past April 1. He successfully defended his first major belt as a professional by stopping Satoshi Shimizu in five rounds on July 25. Ramirez went down and lost his pro debut to Adan Gonzales by a shocking split decision in August 2019 but he has won 13 consecutive fights since, including a shutout decision over Gonzales in a six-rounder in July 2020. He defeated Shakur Stevenson in the gold medal match in the 2016 Olympics. Espinoza is a power puncher who hasn’t fought outside his native Mexico since 2015 and has never faced an opponent anywhere near the ability of Ramirez. The native of Guadalajara has stopped his last five opponents, including Ally Mwerangi on July 15 in Mexico City. Espinoza is ranked No. 10 by the WBO.
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