Ramirez, Dogboe overcome losses, meet for WBO featherweight title
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Featherweight contender Robeisy Ramirez, the brilliant two-time Cuban Olympic gold medalist, got off to a very rough start after he defected and turned pro in August 2018. The notion that he would fight for a world title at that point appeared bleak.
And that Isaac Dogboe would get another title shot after losing his junior featherweight belt to Emanuel Navarrete and a second fight in a row when Navarrete knocked him out in the 12th round of an immediate rematch in May 2019 also seemed like a shaky proposition.
But both men fought their way back from those defeats.
Ramirez won his next 11 fights in a row, including avenging the loss with a shutout decision over Adan Gonzales and impressively knocking out then-undefeated Abraham Nova last summer.
Dogboe moved up to featherweight and reeled off four wins in a row, including decisions against contenders and former world title challengers Joet Gonzalez and Christopher Diaz.
Their paths have led Ramirez and Dogboe to fighting each other for the vacant WBO featherweight title in the main event of the Top Rank Boxing on ESPN+ card Saturday (7:10 p.m. ET) at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
They will box for the 126-pound belt relinquished by Navarrete when he moved up to junior lightweight and knocked out Liam Wilson to win the vacant WBO 130-pound title on Feb. 3.
“This title opportunity means everything,” Ramirez said through an interpreter at Thursday’s fight-week news conference. “We are ready. I’ve come to fight the best. And now we are here. When I say that I’m ready, it’s because I’ve passed through the process. It’s all about the process. Life shows you that if you don’t pass through the process, things can happen. So, the opportunity has come at the right moment. I am ready.”
Not long after Ramirez (11-1, 7 KOs), a 29-year-old southpaw fighting out of Gulfport, Florida, suffered the shocking loss in his pro debut he changed trainers. He linked up with Ismael Salas, his Cuban countryman with vast experience. He said it made all the difference in the world.
“Ismael Salas is a strategist. He is an excellent teacher. He has many world champions, and he has been doing this for many years,” Ramirez said. “Salas has given me the confidence, the knowledge and dexterity to bring out the best of me in the ring. Working with him has been the best thing that has happened to my career.”
Dogboe (24-2, 15 KOs), 28, a 2012 Olympian from Ghana, knocked out then-undefeated Jessie Magdaleno in the 11th round in 2018 to win the WBO junior featherweight title in an upset and made one successful defense before running into Navarrete.
He is excited to have another title opportunity.
“They say that the third time’s a charm,” Dogboe said. “The first time was great. The second time wasn’t all that great. But I feel great about this trip.
“I’m always hopeful. If I say I’m going to do something, I’m always going to show up. I thank God for giving me that mental fortitude. That’s why everything that has transpired in my boxing career has happened. I have a second chance now. I know that Robeisy is tough. He is a good fighter. But I know that we will come out with the victory.”
In the 10-round featherweight co-feature, two-time world title challenger Gonzalez (25-3, 15 KOs), 29, of Los Angeles, who is coming off a split decision loss to Dogboe in July, will face Jose Enrique Vivas (22-2, 11 KOs), 28, a Mexico native fighting out of Montebello, California.
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On the co-main event that is co-meal a delicacy that most do not like to ingest all the time another words it gets ignored by most but is much better then the main event. or main course if you like.
Joet is going to take out his frustrations on his so called lose to Dogboy a while back, going to show who is the better man overall on the entire card. Dogboy is a dog i must say, he is a disapointment in the ring had one interesting fight but continued to get attention and chances along with breaks in the ring n with judges. Talked the killer talk a few days ago forget that he is no killer, just average at best. Here little doggie come here boy, that is it bam feel that boy. Ha Ha Got an old man fight on the under under card oh yea. Oli hey Olie pull some power out of your ass and hit Delante in the face a few times make an upset out of it you only have to add one to you four KO accomplishments try it you might like it. Jahi bettere watch out Georgia Nikki going to be in a nasty mood in this fight got nothing to loose in a foreign land. Go for it early Nikki or you will get sent back to Georgia fast.
Enjoy the fights lets hope for blood, some broken bones in the hands cuts odd behaviour after the fights during interviews. Anyhow lets hope the card is better then it looks on paper.