Jose Ramirez switches from Freddie Roach to Robert Garcia

When Jose Ramirez returns to action on July 7 for the first defense of his WBC junior welterweight title against Danny O’Connor, he’ll have a new face in his corner.

Ramirez has parted ways with trainer Freddie Roach and will instead be working with Robert Garcia from this point on.

ESPN reports that Ramirez felt he wasn’t enough of a priority with Roach, instead often working with assistant Marvin Somodio on fight nights. Garcia has assured Ramirez (22-0, 16 KO) that he will make him a priority.

From Rick Mirigian, Ramirez’s manager:

“Being a world champion, now he has a new set of needs and to meet those needs this was a necessity. We’re grateful to Freddie and to Marvin. They will always be a part of Jose, but getting Jose situated for the next chapter of his career from a need standpoint was a priority. … Jose is Robert’s No. 1 priority. Jose has his time at the gym as a priority. Robert was able to meet the needs Jose has now.”

It sounds like a perfectly amicable split, and an understandable one. Do you expect anything different from Ramirez now that he’s with Garcia? Will this be a positive going forward?