My Word! Ramírez and Taylor…finally face to face

WBC Press

WBC champion, José Carlos Ramírez, pride of the Central Valley of California, will fight the champion from The Highlands Josh Taylor, on Saturday in Las Vegas for the supreme stakes!

The winner of this monumental fight, presented by Top Rank to be broadcast on ESPN, will become the second undisputed super lightweight champion in the four-belt era, standing alongside Terence “Bud” Crawford.

Ramirez (26-0, 17 KOs) has been a world champion since March 2018, when he overcame Amir Imam via unanimous decision, to win the vacant WBC strap. Following the Imam victory, he hired noted trainer Robert Garcia, and the duo has combined to go 4-0 in world title fights.

Ramirez knocked out Maurice Hooker in July 2019 to unify world titles and defended his belts last August. Then with a majority decision over former world champion Viktor Postol. Ramirez, a proud son of Mexican immigrants, who hails from Avenal, Calif., is an inspiration and catalyst for social development via a change in his community.

He’s devoted his time and resources to myriad causes, including cancer research, water rights for area farmers, and COVID-19 relief for Central Valley field workers.

Like Ramirez, Taylor (17-0, 13 KOs) fought as a lightweight at the 2012 London Olympics, where he advanced to the Round of 16. While he didn’t turn pro until 2015, “The Tartan Tornado” certainly didn’t hang around! He won the Commonwealth 140-pound title in only his seventh pro bout.

Taylor toppled Postol by unanimous decision in 2018 and won the IBF world title the following year with a decision over Ivan Baranchyk. He unified the IBF and WBA titles in October 2019, edging Regis Prograis by majority decision in a rugged and thrilling showcase masterpiece.

He made his first defense as a unified champion last September, blasting out and brushing aside mandatory challenger Apinun Khongsong in the first round. Taylor draws on this to etch his own history, as the first undisputed, four-belt Scottish champion.

This Thursday both warriors were face to face in a press conference, where they pointedly exchanged words, ringing pleasantries… and each pledged victory.