Jose Ramirez has a new weight class, but his motivations remain the same. Ramirez wants big fights of consequence, both for his checkbook and his legacy.
The former unified junior welterweight champion will face Rances Barthelemy on Saturday at the SaveMart Center in Fresno, California.
Ramirez (28-1, 18 KOs), who hails from California’s Central Valley, gets a “home game” as the headliner on the DAZN-streamed card. Having risen through the ranks in the area to grow into a world champion, Ramirez is now set to take on Barthelemy (30-2-1, 15 KOs) – and, if he has his way, an encore with another massive fight.
Robert Garcia, Ramirez’s trainer, sees big things ahead for his fighter.
“A new team behind him as a promoter, his mentality, his mindset – everything is totally different. We have a new Jose,” Garcia told BoxingScene. “This time the difference is his mindset, his mentality.”
In January, Ramirez signed with Golden Boy Promotions, closing a chapter with Top Rank, which had helped guide him to a world title. Ramirez had hoped for a big fight with Teofimo Lopez in the fourth quarter of 2023, but it never happened. Now Ramirez is hopeful that he can chase down some of the big names in the division, many of whom also happen to fight on DAZN.
“We are looking for those world championship fights,” Ramirez said in Thursday’s press conference. “It could be against Devin Haney [or] even Ryan Garcia.”
Ramirez, known for being a big junior welterweight, is willing to move up for a big fight.
“It could be anyone at 140, 143, 144 – I don’t mind,” Ramirez said.
Ramirez will seek to knock off the rust from a 13-month layoff against Barthelemy. His last fight was an 11th-round knockout of Richard Commey, and now Ramirez wants the big names again.
“We are up to fight anybody,” Robert Garcia said. “Haney, Ryan, whoever. I know Jose is ready for anybody at 140. Like he said, 145 if he has to make a catchweight – why not?”