Robeisy Ramirez and Rafael Espinoza squared off in the main event live from Charles F. Dodge City Center in Pembroke Pines, FL on Saturday, December 9. The contest featured WBO featherweight champion of Cuba up against unbeaten contender of Mexico.
Ramirez put his title on the line for the second time. Espinoza made his first attempt to become champion.
The scheduled for 12 rounds world championship bout went the full distance and produced fireworks. Ramirez scored a knockdown with a big overhand right at the end of the fifth round. Espinoza paid back, sending his opponent to the canvas in Round 12. In the end, one judge scored the fight 113-113, while two other judges had 114-112 and 115-111 in favor of challenger.
With the victory by majority decision, Rafael Espinoza became a new WBO featherweight champion. The 29-year-old of Guadalajara, Mexico improved to 22-0, 18 KOs and remained undefeated.
“I didn’t think about anything in here,” Espinoza said post-win. “I just thought about winning. I even asked what round we were in. And I knew that I had to drop him in order to win. I just put my heart into it. I always do that. And thank God it happened.”
“I think I’ve had a broken foot since the second round. But what kept me on my feet was my daughter, my parents, my wife and my family. I knew that all of Mexico was watching me. And I knew that I had to become a world champion.”
Robeisy Ramirez: I thought the fight was won
Las Vegas-based two-time Olympic gold medalist Robeisy Ramirez dropped to 13-2, 8 KOs. The 29-year-old native of Cienfuegos, Cuba didn’t succeed in his second title defense and lost the belt.
“We did what we always do,” Ramirez said post-fight. “We followed what Ismael Salas told us to do. We scored the knockdown and tried to end the fight, but it didn’t happen.”
“I thought the fight was won. But he got his second wind. I tried to catch mine. But I’ve got to give him credit. He came after me. He got the knockdown. I didn’t think it would determine the result, but that’s what the judges decided.”
In the UK and Australia, the event aired live on Sunday, December 10.
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