Hulu Theater, Madison Square Garden, New York City – Robeisy “El Tren” Ramirez (11-1, 7 KOs) wants a featherweight title shot, and he may get it soon. The two-time Olympic gold medalist steamrolled late replacement Jose Matias Romero (26-3, 9 KOs) via ninth-round TKO to retain his USBA and WBO Global belts.
Ramirez had his man his trouble in the first and seventh rounds, but the Argentina native refused to relent. In the ninth, Ramirez uncorked a left hand that staggered Romero and ended the one-way carnage.
Ramirez outlanded Romero in power punches, 129-32, including a 19-3 advantage in the ninth round. He is now targeting a featherweight world title shot in early 2023.
The WBO title is likely going to be vacant, with current champion Emanuel Navarrete close to reaching an agreement to fight former two-division champion Oscar Valdez in a super featherweight showdown in February of next year.
“We know that Matias is a fighter who is slick, who knows how to survive inside the ring, and that was his plan. I hurt him early, but then we tried to get him out early. And then, Ismael Salas, who is my strategist… he is a chess master. He’s moving the pieces in there, and finally we were able to do it properly and get him out of there,” Ramirez said.
“I think the result speaks for itself. I got the stoppage, sent a message, and in the end, if {Emanuel} Navarrete is no longer the champion at 126 pounds, if he’s fighting Oscar Valdez for the championship at 130 pounds, then I got next at 126, and I want that belt.”