Gilberto Ramirez and Jesse Hart will be fighting each other in a rematch two months from now on ESPN+ on December 14, according to Mike Coppinger.
This is a rematch of their thrilling fight last year which saw World Boxing Organization super middleweight champion Ramirez (38-0, 25 KOs) defeat Hart by a close 12 round unanimous decision in September 2017.
Despite being hurt several times by Hart’s powerful uppercuts, Ramirez held on to beat him by the scores 115-112, 114-113 and 115-112. Hart (25-1, 21 KOs) probably could have knocked Ramirez out if he’s poured on the gas each time he hurt him.
Fight will take place in Corpus Christi, Texas.
Last edited by Ruthless-RKO on 29 Nov 2018, 16:43, edited 1 time in total.
To have a guy like Hart push Zurdo so close says it all really.
Hart gets beat by at least 4 guys from the UK alone, has a paper resume, and yet he gets another go at a belt. He may even win this time. SMW has so many good fighters, Hart is barely in the top 10.
The rematch between super middleweight world titleholder Gilberto "Zurdo" Ramirez and Jesse Hart was made official on Tuesday.
They will meet in a sequel of their action-packed collision in the main event of a Top Rank Boxing on ESPN+ card on Dec. 14 (ESPN+, 10 p.m. ET) at the American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, Texas, Top Rank announced.
"I think they have both gotten better but I think this fight will be very similar to the first one -- a terrific fight between two comparable guys," Top Rank chairman Bob Arum said. "The rematch will come a little over a year after they first met on Sept. 22, 2017, on ESPN in the co-feature of the Oscar Valdez-Genesis Servania featherweight title fight in Tucson, Arizona.
Hart (25-1, 21 KOs), 29, of Philadelphia, has campaigned hard for the rematch and has won three fights in a row by knockout since the loss to earn it.
"I'm very grateful and humbled for this opportunity," Hart said. "I just want to go out there and perform to the best of my ability. I have nothing derogatory to say about Gilberto Ramirez. At this point, I just want to go out there and perform."
Ramirez will be making the fifth defense of the 168-pound world title he took by shutout decision from Arthur Abraham in April 2016 in Las Vegas. Ramirez will be returning to the arena where he knocked out Habib Ahmed in the sixth round of his third title defense in February.
"This will be a good fight," Ramirez said. "I feel better prepared than the first time and even more convinced that I will finish him. I've always said that I wanted to be the king of the division. I've been waiting for unification fights, and I'm still patient. I'm at my best, and against Hart, I want to show why I'm the best."
Arnold Barboza Jr. is hungry for a 140-pound world title shot. The Los Angeles native, who has fought all but one of his 19 professional bouts in California, will head to Texas intent on staking his claim as one of the division’s top contenders.
Barboza will face Manuel Lopez on Friday, Dec. 14 in a 10-rounder for the NABF junior super lightweight title at the American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, Texas. Barboza-Lopez will be the co-feature to the previously announced rematch featuring WBO champion Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez and No. 1 contender Jesse “Hollywood” Hart.
Ramirez-Hart 2 and Barboza-Lopez will stream live at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+. The entire undercard will stream live on ESPN+ beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET.
The undercard stream will feature:
Mikaela Mayer (8-0, 4 KOs), the 2016 Olympian and one of the brightest stars in female boxing, will defend the NABF super featherweight title in an eight-rounder against Calixta Silgado (17-10-3, 12 KOs).
Big-punching Joshua “Don’t Blink” Greer Jr. (18-1-1, 10 KOs) will take on Daniel Lozano (15-5, 11 KOs) in a 10-rounder for the vacant WBC Continental Americas bantamweight title. Greer, who has won seven of his past eight bouts by knockout, is coming off a third-round TKO against Giovanni Delgado on Sept. 28 in Oakland, Calif.
Gabriel Flores Jr. (10-0, 5 KOs), the 18-year-old fighting sensation from Stockton, Calif., will make his sixth ring appearance of 2018 against Edward Kakembo (10-5, 3 KOs) in a six-round lightweight bout.
Top junior lightweight contender Jamel Herring (18-2, 10 KOs) will continue his march toward a world title shot when he faces former junior featherweight world title challenger Adeilson Dos Santos (19-5, 15 KOs) in an eight-rounder.
Top prospect Ruben Vega (11-0, 5 KOs), from Mazatlán, Mexico, will clash with Oscar Mojica (11-5, 1 KO) in a six-round super flyweight battle.
In a six-rounder at super bantamweight, Jesus Arechiga (6-0, 6 KOs) will look to keep his knockout streak alive against David Martino (6-5, 4 KO).
Roberto Duran Jr. (1-0, 1 KO), son of the all-time great, will see action against Leonardo Pena (0-2) in a four-rounder at welterweight.
The sole reason why this rematch is taking place is because Top Rank are lacking sufficient 168lbs talent within their own stable of fighters.
We saw this repeatedly when Pacquiao kept needlessly facing Marquez and Bradley.
Put it this way, image you’re Bob Arum and you need to stage an in-house bout between two of your best super middleweights, what other fights can be made?
Enlightened-One wrote: ↑09 Dec 2018, 10:02
The sole reason why this rematch is taking place is because Top Rank are lacking sufficient 168lbs talent within their own stable of fighters.
We saw this repeatedly when Pacquiao kept needlessly facing Marquez and Bradley.
Put it this way, image you’re Bob Arum and you need to stage an in-house bout between two of your best super middleweights, what other fights can be made?
Could always get Rob Brant to go back up
Arum probably told WBO to make Hart mandatory again.
Maybe same thing Haymon did. Telling WBC to make Stiverne mandatory again.
ironbeard wrote: ↑09 Dec 2018, 12:13
Arum absolutely sucks for boxing.
I am looking forward to this rematch though. Hart has been busy knocking down tackling dummies and he gave Ramirez absolute hell last time.
Zurdo’s reign has been piss poor. Beat Abraham via lopsided decision. His first got injured.. eventually fought a year later against Max Bursak. Then Hart.. isn’t elite or hardly the best SMW out there but he gave him a good fight.. followed on from that with African boxers with padded records. Now back to Hart.. he’ll likely fight another WBO African champion next via a mandatory.
ironbeard wrote: ↑09 Dec 2018, 12:13
Arum absolutely sucks for boxing.
I am looking forward to this rematch though. Hart has been busy knocking down tackling dummies and he gave Ramirez absolute hell last time.
Zurdo’s reign has been piss poor. Beat Abraham via lopsided decision. His first got injured.. eventually fought a year later against Max Bursak. Then Hart.. isn’t elite or hardly the best SMW out there but he gave him a good fight.. followed on from that with African boxers with padded records. Now back to Hart.. he’ll likely fight another WBO African champion next via a mandatory.
Enlightened-One wrote: ↑09 Dec 2018, 10:02
The sole reason why this rematch is taking place is because Top Rank are lacking sufficient 168lbs talent within their own stable of fighters.
We saw this repeatedly when Pacquiao kept needlessly facing Marquez and Bradley.
Put it this way, image you’re Bob Arum and you need to stage an in-house bout between two of your best super middleweights, what other fights can be made?
Could always get Rob Brant to go back up
Arum probably told WBO to make Hart mandatory again.
Maybe same thing Haymon did. Telling WBC to make Stiverne mandatory again.
I actually agree with you, but a rematch between Ramirez and Hart seems unnecessary to me, but the reason the bout was made is absolutely obvious.
Enlightened-One wrote: ↑09 Dec 2018, 10:02
The sole reason why this rematch is taking place is because Top Rank are lacking sufficient 168lbs talent within their own stable of fighters.
We saw this repeatedly when Pacquiao kept needlessly facing Marquez and Bradley.
Put it this way, image you’re Bob Arum and you need to stage an in-house bout between two of your best super middleweights, what other fights can be made?
Could always get Rob Brant to go back up
Arum probably told WBO to make Hart mandatory again.
Maybe same thing Haymon did. Telling WBC to make Stiverne mandatory again.
I actually agree with you, but a rematch between Ramirez and Hart seems unnecessary to me, but the reason the bout was made is absolutely obvious.
Too bad this is not on Regular ESPN.. God knows how many subs they have for ESPN+..
Zurdo did terrible numbers against the African boxers he fought this year, IMO they should have been on the app ans this one should have been on regular ESPN.. See how many people would actually tune into a decent Zurdo fight.
Super flyweight prospect Ruben Vega (11-0-1, 5 KOs) fought to a six round split draw with Oscar Mojica (11-5). The scores were 58-56 for Vega, 58-56 for Mojica, and 57-57 for the draw.
