Former unified champ Jose Ramirez has earned another shot at the WBC junior welterweight title.
Ramirez (28-1, 18 KOs) returned from a one-year layoff to defeat former lightweight world champion Richard Commey (30-5-1, 27 KOs) via 11th-round knockout on Saturday evening at the Save Mart Center in Fresno, California.
FRESNO, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 25: Richard Commey (L) and Jose Ramirez (R) exchange punches during their junior welterweight fight at Save Mart Center on March 25, 2023 in Fresno, California. (Photo by Mikey Williams/Top Rank Inc via Getty Images)
From the opening round, Ramirez tried to overwhelm Commey with constant offense. In every round, the 30-year-old native of Avenal, California, pushed Commey to the ropes to throw straight right hands, hooks and uppercuts.
FRESNO, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 25: Jose Ramirez celebrates after defeating Richard Commey, during their junior welterweight fight at Save Mart Center on March 25, 2023 in Fresno, California. (Photo by Mikey Williams/Top Rank Inc via Getty Images)
In the 11th, Ramirez’s offense paid off as he sent Commey down with a right hand to begin the round. Ramirez then landed a left hook to the body that sent Commey down again, for a final time, at 2:31 of the penultimate chapter.
Ramirez said, “It’s always hard after a layoff, but mentally I had to go back to being my old self and start strong. There came a point in my career where I got too comfortable. But this time, I started with that rhythm of being active with my punches throughout the round. And I went back to my old self.
FRESNO, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 25: Jose Ramirez (R) knocks-down Richard Commey (L) during their junior welterweight fight at Save Mart Center on March 25, 2023 in Fresno, California. (Photo by Mikey Williams/Top Rank Inc via Getty Images)
“I hurt him in the first round. But he’s a tough guy. Big shoutout to Commey and his team. He’s a good warrior. He took some good shots. And he picked it up in the middle of the fight, too. I heard his team motivating him, but I wanted to make a statement and show that I’m the stronger guy in there.
“I want any world champion. If Regis Prograis is serious about fighting, we can sit down and negotiate. Let’s sit down and make the fight.”
‘Super Bad’ Unifies Minimumweight Titles
FRESNO, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 25: Seniesa Estrada celebrates after defeating Tina Rupprecht, during their WBA & WBC minimumweight unification championship fight at Save Mart Center on March 25, 2023 in Fresno, California. (Photo by Mikey Williams/Top Rank Inc via Getty Images)
Seniesa “Super Bad” Estrada (24-0, 9 KOs) got one step closer to becoming undisputed champion by unifying the WBA and WBC minimumweight world titles with a dominant unanimous decision victory over “Tiny” Tina Rupprecht (12-1-1, 3 KOs).
Estrada controlled each round by using a quick jab and by constantly switching stances. The 30-year-old native of East Los Angeles also picked spots where she would work on the inside, landing a hard body shot or two before slipping the side to avoid any counters.
Rupprecht tried to land her signature right hand and was successful at times, but not nearly enough to faze her opponent. All three judges scored it a shutout, 100-90.
FRESNO, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 25: Tina Rupprecht (L) and Seniesa Estrada (R) exchange punches during their WBA & WBC minimumweight unification championship fight at Save Mart Center on March 25, 2023 in Fresno, California. (Photo by Mikey Williams/Top Rank Inc via Getty Images)
Estrada said, “This training camp was more mentally tough than it was physically. I showed it in the ring by sticking to my game plan and using my jab. I always want to give an entertaining fight, but I knew that with an opponent like Tina, I had to use my jab because she is a short fighter who stays very low. And when you fight fighters like that, you have to use your jab and stick to a game plan.
“I want to tell the other champion at 105 pounds [Yokasta Valle] that I’m whooping you next. You can get it next. I am the best in this division, and I know it. I want to prove it by becoming undisputed.”
Heavyweights:
Antonio “El Gigante” Mireles (7-0, 6 KOs) went the distance for the first time in his career as he defeated Patrick Mailata (6-2, 3 KOs) by six-round split decision.
Mailata dropped Mireles in the third round after a right hand to the temple wobbled him, but the native of Des Moines, Iowa, was able to recover.
Mireles rebounded in the later rounds, landing shots from a distance.
One judge scored it 57-56 for Mailata, while the other two rendered identical scores of 57-56 for Mireles.
Lightweights:
Raymond “Danger” Muratalla (17-0, 14 KOs) overcame an early knockdown to stop Humberto Galindo (14-3-1, 11 KOs) via knockout in the ninth round.
In the opening round, Galindo landed a two-punch combination that floored Muratalla. However, the native of Fontana, California, got back up to drop Galindo in the fourth round with a body shot.
Galindo recovered, but Muratalla took over, stopping him with another shot to the body.
Lightweights:
Charlie Sheehy (6-0, 4 KOs) of Brisbane, California, defeated Angel Rebollar (6-2, 3 KOs) via six-round unanimous decision. Rebollar fought aggressively in every round, but Sheehy’s footwork and one-two combinations were too much for the Los Angeles native to overcome.
Scores: 58-56 and 60-54 2x.
Light Flyweights:
Jessie James Guerrero (3-0-2, 3 KOs), the fighting nephew of former world champion Robert Guerrero, was held to a four-round majority draw against fellow California native Eduardo Alvarez (0-2-1).
The judges scored the action-packed fight 40-36 Guerrero and 38-38-2x.
Junior Welterweights:
Ricardo Ruvalcaba (8-0-1, 7 KOs) made short work of Marco Antonio Cardenas (9-8-1, 4 KOs), stopping the Oregon native with a left hook to the body in the opening round. Ruvalcaba, from Ventura, California, has won three straight by KO. Time of stoppage: 2:59.
Junior Featherweights:
Subaru Murata (4-0, 4 KOs) scored a first-round stoppage over Jose Negrete (2-2, 2 KOs). The southpaw Murata dropped Negrete with a straight left hand. Negrete rose to his feet on weak legs, and referee Ron Scott Stevens waved it off.
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