Notebook: 1 year later, Espinoza-Ramirez rematch brings intrigue
Canelo opens door to Jake Paul fight, working with Alalshikh; Roach proud of Pacquiao; Santillan on comeback trail; big signing for Matchroom; Quick hits; Show and tell
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When Rafael Espinoza triumphed over Robeisy Ramirez to win the WBO featherweight title last December it was one of the biggest upsets of the year and a fight of the year contender as well.
Of course, there had to be a rematch after Espinoza’s dramatic majority decision, and now it is upon us.
They will meet again almost one year to the day from fight No. 1 in the co-feature of another rematch of an action-packed fight, WBO junior lightweight titlist Emanuel Navarrete’s second go with interim titlist Oscar Valdez, on the Top Rank Boxing on ESPN card on Saturday (ESPN, ESPN Deportes, ESPN+, 10:30 p.m. ET; Sky Sports in U.K.) at Footprint Center in Phoenix.
The winners could eventually meet next year but first things first.
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Espinoza was an obscure fighter who had been boxing low-level opponents on the Mexican club circuit when he was given a shot at Ramirez in a fight that took place in Pembroke Pines, Florida, where two-time Cuban Olympic gold medalist Ramirez was the heavy favorite and the darling of the many South Florida Cubans who turned out for the fight.
It was a memorable one as Ramirez dropped Espinoza in the fifth round and appeared on his way to the expected easy win. But Espinoza stormed back and eventually scored a 12th-round knockdown to seal the win and claim the title in a monumental upset in one of the best fights of 2023.
Top Rank looked to do an immediate rematch but acquiesced to the Espinoza’s desire for one defense first, which he took in June and pummeled Sergio Chirino, knocking him down three times in a fourth-round knockout to retain the title in Las Vegas. One week later, Ramirez had his tune-up fight and stopped Brandon Benitez in the seventh round in Miami to set up the rematch.
“God’s timing is perfect,” Espinoza said through an interpreter. “We waited a bit for the rematch, but now we are here. And like I’ve said since the first fight, I’ve always wanted a rematch because it was a war where we both gave everything. So, he deserved it, I deserved it, and the people deserved it.”
Between the title win and the dominating defense, Espinoza (25-0, 21 KOs), 30, of Mexico, won’t sneak up on anybody this time but he said he has gained confidence because of those fights.
“Knowing you are a champion affects you mentally,” Espinoza said. “As a champion, you know that you have a big commitment, and so I’ve become a better person and a better fighter as a result, and I’m enjoying it.
“My confidence has grown. My mentality, approach to training, and commitment have all changed. I’m three times more committed than in the first fight, and I think I showed that against Chirino. I want to prove it again against Ramirez.”
Ramirez (14-2, 9 KOs), 30, a southpaw, who fights out of Miami, won the vacant 126-pound belt via lopsided decision over former junior featherweight titlist Isaac Dogboe in April 2023 and made one successful defense before being upended by Espinoza.
He attributed his shaky performance against Espinoza to having his mind on his ill father.
“In camp, my father got really sick. He almost passed away,” Ramirez said through an interpreter. “That affected me a lot. My father is in Cuba, and I can’t go back. I couldn’t visit him in the hospital. So, that affected me greatly.
“That was not the best version of me in the first fight. And despite that, I was still able to deliver a great show. So, I do not doubt the second fight will be better. He didn’t surprise me in the first fight. We all know how Mexican fighters are. They never give up. But, given my personal issues, I was not in the best condition. Nevertheless, if the judges saw that he deserved the decision, that’s fine. I have characterized myself as a fighter who gets up whenever he is knocked down. I have a champion mentality and will be a champion again.”
He will have to overcome Espinoza’s considerable physical advantages. At 6-foot-1, he towers over the 5-6 Ramirez, who will once again have to figure out a way to get inside against the long-armed titleholder.
“Yes, we all know about my height advantage, but I also have another advantage, and that’s my heart,” Espinoza said. “So, I’m going to show my heart by giving everything in the ring.
“I know it will be a war. And it’ll help that I can fight against any version of Ramirez. I’ll be ready whether he wants to fight at a close range or from a distance. Like I said before the first fight, I’m not leaving without the title.”
Canelo opens door
Unified super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez nudged open the door for potential fights with Terence Crawford and Jake Paul as well as working with Saudi Arabia’s Turki Alalshikh, all three which he previously showed no interest in.
On Thursday, Mexican superstar Alvarez (62-2-2, 39 KOs), 34, attended the grand opening ceremony at a Mexican restaurant in Chula Vista, California, and chatted with media members.
Crawford (41-0, 31 KOs), 37, boxing’s pound-for-pound king to many and the former undisputed welterweight champion, who moved up to junior middleweight and won a title in August, has been calling Alvarez out. Crawford has aligned himself with Alalshikh, who has also been vocal about wanting to make the fight, but Alvarez has previously rebuffed efforts.
However, when asked about the potential bout on Thursday, Alvarez did not shoot it down or the possibility of working with Alalshikh, with whom he had a public spat on social media over the summer.
“I never say no to business,” Alvarez said. “So if it’s business for me, I’m open to talk, no matter what.”
Alvarez, who is coming off a lopsided decision win over then-unbeaten Edgar Berlanga on Sept.14, said his attention won’t turn to planning his next fight until the new year.
“Now, I’m working on other things. Now, I’m enjoying my family,” Alvarez said. “I’m not talking about boxing yet. So, maybe in January we’re going to start doing that.”
Then there is the matter of Paul (11-1, 7 KOs), who has brought up Alvarez several times, including in the wake of his win over the long-faded Mike Tyson, who exited a nearly 20-year retirement and was dominated by Paul in their eight-round heavyweight bout on Nov.15.
“I feel sad about what I saw from Mike Tyson because, at his age (58) and everything, he can’t do that kind of stuff,” Alvarez said. “But, you know, it's business for them. It’s fine, whatever. I thought about (seeking revenge for Tyson) when I saw the fight, when I saw the injustice. But we’ll see.”
Roach lauds Pacquiao
Freddie Roach has trained numerous top fighters and world champions and has long been considered one of the best trainers of all time.
He has been voted trainer of the year a record seven-time by the Boxing Writers Association of America and was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2012. The biggest part of Roach’s Hall of Fame legacy was his work with Manny Pacquiao, who Roach linked up with in 2001 and led to world titles in seven of the record eight divisions he won them in.
So, it was no surprise that Roach was extremely proud when Pacquiao was elected to the Hall of Fame on Thursday as the biggest name in the Class of 2025, which will be inducted in June.
He paid tribute to his No. 1 pupil after the elections results were revealed.
“I opened my gym, Wild Card Boxing, in hopes that the next Muhammad Ali would walk through the door,” Roach said. “Little did I know that in 2001, my Muhammad Ali would weigh 122 pounds. His name was Manny Pacquiao and he was and still is the pride of the Philippines.
“For 20 years, after Manny and I first did mitts in the ring at Wild Card, we trained together for some of the biggest fights. As his collection of world championship belts grew, so did his presence in boxing and the world. (The) announcement that Manny will be a member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame’s Class of 2025 makes me incredibly proud.
“As much as I loved working together with Manny all those years, I’m even happier sharing the same wall with him at the International Boxing Hall of Fame. Congratulations, Manny. You deserve this. You are and will always be my Muhammad Ali.”
Santillan on comeback trail
Welterweight contender Giovani Santillan took it on the chin in his last fight, getting knocked out in May in front of his hometown fans in San Diego by Brian Norman in the 10th round of their vacant WBO interim title bout.
Gone was Santillan’s perfect record and a win for the interim belt that everybody knew would soon become the full title when Terence Crawford vacated to move up.
Now Santillan (32-1, 17 KOs), a 33-year-old southpaw, will look to get back on track in his first fight since that rough loss when he takes on Fredrick Lawson (30-5, 22 KOs), 35, of Chicago, on the Emanuel Navarrete-Oscar Valdez II undercard card on Saturday at Footprint Center in Phoenix. The bout will be part of the ESPN+ coverage of preliminary action beginning at 5:30 p.m. ET.
“Losing is tough, but it’s part of the sport,” Santillan said this week. “And that’s what I signed up for, to take on the hard, tough fights. Sometimes you lose, but that one loss is not going to hold me back from getting to where I want to get to.
“Ever since I went back to camp, everyone has been supportive. They all believe in me, and since then, it’s been about working on strategy and game plan for this fight. But also my preparation. A lot of it has to do with my weight cut and things like that.”
Lawson seemingly is a sacrificial lamb to get Santillan back in the win column. He has lost three of his last five, two in a row, and been stopped in all three of those defeats, including by Vergil Ortiz Jr. and Alexis Rocha.
“Sometimes, you fall, but you get back up and keep going,” Santillan said. “That’s the mentality I’ve had since (the loss).”
BetUS Boxing Show
If you missed the BetUS Boxing Show live at 1 p.m. ET on Friday on YouTube, please check out the replay (and also subscribe to the YouTube channel). We previewed and picked three world title bouts on Saturday: WBO junior lightweight titlist Emanuel Navarrete’s rematch with Oscar Valdez and WBO featherweight titlist Rafael Espinoza’s rematch with Robeisy Ramirez on the Top Rank/ESPN card and IBF junior welterweight titlists Liam Paro defending against Richardson Hitchins in the main event of the Matchroom Boxing card on DAZN. We also took viewer questions and comments and discussed the latest boxing news! Please check out the show here:
Emanuel Navarrete interview
If you missed the recent podcast episode that includes my one-on-one interview with WBO junior lightweight titlist Emanuel Navarrete head of his defense against interim titlist Oscar Valdez in a rematch on Saturday’s Top Rank/ESPN card, we broke it out separately and you can listen to it here. Give it a listen, a review, and also subscribe to get an alert when the next episode is available. New shows every Thursday and Sunday night (and occasional special episodes like this one).
Matchroom signs Teremoana
Heavyweight Teremoana Teremoana, a 2024 Australian Olympian, has signed “a long-term promotional deal” with Matchroom Boxing’s Eddie Hearn, in association with GoldStar and Australian-based Tasman Fighters, they announced.
Teremoana (4-0, 4 KOs), 26, who turned pro in 2020 and had pro bouts before taking a break to compete in the 2024 Paris Olympics, will return to the pro ranks on the “Monte-Carlo Showdown V” card on Dec. 14 (DAZN) at Salle Des Etoiles in Monte Carlo, Monaco.
Teremoana, a 2023 Pacific Games gold medalist, won his first Olympic bout in the super heavyweight tournament and then lost a decision in the quarterfinals to Bakhodir Jalolov, who went on to win a second consecutive gold medal.
“I want to be on the world stage and I know that if I put in the work I have the ability to do that,” said Teremoana, who shares manager Brian Peters with Katie Taylor. “The plan is to continue to build a fan base at home in Australia but also all around the world. I'm excited to get going on this journey and the first stop is Monte Carlo.
“I’ve learned so much over the last few years and really enjoyed the Olympic experience but now it’s time for a new phase in my career. My dream is to become the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world and I believe with Matchroom, GoldStar, and Tasman Fighters behind me I can achieve that. It's going to be an exciting ride so let’s go.”
Hearn has always liked signing heavyweights and this signing is no different.
“I’m delighted to add another exciting heavyweight talent to our growing global stable,” Hearn said. “Teremoana gave us all a glimpse of what he is capable of in the Paris 2024 Olympics and his style and ability has improved drastically in recent years. He sees his Matchroom debut as his new professional debut and I’m sure he will be putting many in the Heavyweight division on notice.”
Quick hits
Weights from San Juan, Puerto Rico, for Matchroom Boxing’s card on Saturday (DAZN, 7 p.m. ET): Liam Paro 139.6 pounds, Richardson Hitchins 139.8 (for Paro’s IBF junior welterweight title); Henry Lebron 130, Christopher Diaz 129.8; Yankiel Rivera 112, Angel Gonzalez 110.8; Marc Castro 137.2, Agustin Quintana 136.2; Carlos De Leon Castro 128.2, Jose Guevara 127.4; William Ortiz 140, Lionell Colon TBA; Jalil Hackett 147, Jose Roman 145.8; Juan Zayas 117.4, Geraldo Valdez 116.6; Stephanie Pineiro 146.4, Kalindra Faria 139.8.
Weights from Phoenix for Top Rank’s card on Saturday (ESPN, 10:30 p.m. ET): Emanuel Navarrete 129.9 pounds, Oscar Valdez 130 (rematch, for Navarrete’s WBO junior lightweight title); Rafael Espinoza 125.7, Robeisy Ramirez 125.6 (rematch, for Espinoza’s WBO featherweight title); Lindolfo Delgado 139.9, Jackson Marinez 139.2; Richard Torrez Jr. 236.6, Issac Munoz 252.1; Albert Gonzalez 127.2, Gerardo Antonio Perez 127.7; Steven Navarro 115.6, Gabriel Bernardi 115.4; Giovani Santillan 147.9, Fredrick Lawson 146.3; Art Barrera 149.4, Juan Carlos Campos Medina 149.7; Cesar Morales 136.3, Kevin Mosquera 136.4; DJ Zamora 131.3, Roman Ruben Reynoso 131.9.
Matchroom Boxing, which is planning Jan. 25 (DAZN) card at The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas with super middleweight contender Diego Pacheco (22-0, 18 KOs), 23, of Los Angeles, headlining and fast-rising lightweight Andy Cruz (4-0, 2 KOs), 29, the 2020 Cuban Olympic gold medalist, ticketed for the co-feature. Although the opponents are not signed yet, Pacheco likely will face Steven Nelson, who is part of the Terence Crawford camp, and Cruz likely will face Omar Salcido, a source with knowledge of the plans told Fight Freaks Unite. Nelson (20-0, 16 KOs), 36, of Omaha, Nebraska, boxed just once this year, a fifth-round KO of Marcos Vazquez on Crawford-Israil Madrimov undercard on Aug. 3. Salcido (20-1, 14 KOs), 24, a Mexico native fighting out of Lakeside, California, has won two in a row and is coming off an impressive ninth-round upset knockout of Chris Colbert on Oct. 16.
Junior lightweight contender Muhammadkhuja Yaqubov (21-1, 11 KOs), 29, a southpaw from Tajikistan, has signed with promoter Sampson Lewkowicz and manager Jim Kambosos, the father of former lightweight champion George Kambosos, and plans to relocate to the United States, where his goal is to secure a rematch with WBC titlist O’Shaquie Foster. Yaqubov is scheduled to end a 13-month layoff in an eight-rounder against countryman Zafar Parpiev (13-2, 5 KOs) on Dec. 12 in Moscow before heading for the U.S. He is seeking his fourth win in a row since dropping a unanimous decision to Foster in a WBC title eliminator in March 2022 in Dubai. “I want to be able to realize my dream in America,” Yaqubov said. “I want to be a world champion, and I want to do it in America.”
Hall of Famer Roy Jones Jr., the former longtime pound-for-pound king and four-division champion, is going to be busy on Dec. 12 when he will be in the corner for five fighters he trains on the card (BLK Prime PPV, 10 p.m. ET, $12.99) at Legends Casino Hotel in Toppenish, Washington. Jones will also be the analyst on the live stream from the corner. In the main event, Jones-trained super middleweight Shady Gamhour (13-1, 9 KOs) will face Devontae McDonald (6-4, 2 KOs) in a 10-rounder. In the co-feature, Jones-trained featherweight Dominique Roundtree (10-0, 6 KOs) will fight Jose Antonio Sampedro (13-2, 7 KOs) in an eight-rounder.
Middleweight Marquis Taylor will fight Ivan Pandzic in the eight-round main event of the Red Own Boxing card on Dec. 13 (DAZN, 9 p.m. ET) at the Owl’s Nest in Houston, Red Owl announced. In the co-feature, Houston lightweight Oscar Alan Perez (11-0-2, 7 KOs) will face Mexico’s Cristian Medina Garcia (8-1-1, 5 KOs) in an eight-rounder. In another bout on the show, Houston welterweight Giovanni Marquez (11-0, 6 KOs), the son of former junior middleweight titlist and popular broadcaster Raul Marquez, will face Cristian Dominguez (13-6, 6 KOs) of Las Vegas.
Show and tell
When legendary HBO analyst Larry Merchant dreamed up with the idea of Manny Pacquiao fighting Oscar De La Hoya, an idea that became public after he told me about it during one of our regular boxing phone calls and I wrote a column about it a few days later, there was wide outrage. It was viewed as a death match, a fight that the much bigger De La Hoya would win by easy destruction over the much smaller Pacquiao. Although the fight did not happen next, Merchant’s idea incubated for about a year and then the fight was made. De La Hoya had lost a competitive decision to Floyd Mayweather in a junior middleweight title fight and then did not look sharp in a decision win over the much smaller Steve Forbes. Pacquiao had moved up from junior lightweight to stop David Diaz for a lightweight title and would be moving up two divisions to welterweight to face De La Hoya. As a tip of the hat to Merchant’s vision, the fight was the titled “The Dream Match.”
Yes, the fight was a one-sided destruction as most expected, but it wasn’t Pacquiao who got destroyed. Shockingly, it was De La Hoya as Pacquiao laid a massive beating on the Golden Boy. As Merchant said near during the HBO PPV broadcast the end of the fight, “Death by a thousand left hands.” Finally, after taking so much punishment, the fight was stopped in De La Hoya’s corner after the eighth round. De La Hoya would retire soon after the fight and Pacquiao was launched to mega stardom. That historic fight took place on Dec. 6, 2008 — 16 years ago on Friday. Here is an oversized program from the fight, which I wrote much of, in my collection.
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Photos: Espinoza-Ramirez, Santillan-Lawson, Navarrete-Valdez: Mikey Williams/Top Rank; Alvarez: Rey Del Rio/PBC; Pacquiao/Roach: Team Pacquiao; Teremoana: AFP via Getty Images; Paro-Hitchins: Melina Pizano/Matchroom Boxing
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How in the world will Roy Jones corner 5 fighters and commentate from the corner??😂
Well said