BoxRec

Press Release

Two undefeated junior welterweight kings, one undisputed title

Unified WBC and WBO champion Jose Ramirez, the pride of California’s Central Valley, will fight Scotland’s unified IBF and WBA champion Josh Taylor for the undisputed world championship on Saturday, May 22. The winner will become only the second undisputed junior welterweight champion of the four-belt era, joining pound-for-pound great Terence Crawford.

Boxing fans in the US can watch Ramirez vs Taylor live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and simulcast on ESPN+. The start time is set for 8:30 pm ET / 5:30 pm PT.

“This is the best boxing has to offer, two elite fighters in the prime of their careers colliding in a legacy-defining matchup for the undisputed championship of the world,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “It’s a true 50-50 fight, one that the fans and both fighters demanded.”

Ramirez (26-0, 17 KOs) has been a world champion since March 2018, when he toppled Amir Imam via unanimous decision to win the vacant WBC strap. Following the Imam victory, he hired noted trainer Robert Garcia, and the duo has combined to go 4-0 in world title fights.

Ramirez knocked out Maurice Hooker in July 2019 to unify world titles and defended his belts last August with a majority decision over former world champion Viktor Postol. Ramirez, a proud son of Mexican immigrants who hails from Avenal, Calif., is an agent of social change in his community. He’s devoted his time and resources to myriad causes, including cancer research, water rights for area farmers, and COVID-19 relief for Central Valley field workers.

“I look forward to making history by becoming the first boxer of Mexican descent to hold all four major world title belts,” Ramirez said. “I dedicate this fight to the Central Valley farm workers, who are out there every day helping feed the world. This fight is big, but nothing is bigger than getting vaccinations to the farm workers right now in the Central Valley.”

“No excuses, no fake social media promises, no grandstanding. This is the best fighting the best at their absolute best,” said Rick Mirigian, Ramirez’s manager. “Jose will have his hand raised in the end, solidifying his status as a Hall of Famer.”

Like Ramirez, Taylor (17-0, 13 KOs) fought as a lightweight at the 2012 London Olympics, where he advanced to the Round of 16. While he didn’t turn pro until 2015, “The Tartan Tornado” won the Commonwealth 140-pound title in only his seventh pro bout.

Taylor toppled Postol by unanimous decision in 2018 and won the IBF world title the following year with a decision over Ivan Baranchyk. He unified the IBF and WBA titles in October 2019, edging Regis Prograis by majority decision in a brutal masterpiece. He made his first defense as a unified champion last September, blasting out mandatory challenger Apinun Khongsong in the first round. Taylor hopes to make a little history of his own as the first undisputed, four-belt Scottish champion.

Taylor said, “I’m excited it’s been finalized and over the line. I can’t wait to get in there for the biggest fight of my career. Fighting for the undisputed title is something all boxers dream about.”

The undercard bouts for Ramirez vs Taylor to be announced in the coming weeks.

Will a crowd be allowed to this event? Don’t get why Arum didn’t just take the event over to Texas and had a crowd of even 4K fans.

I have FOTY feeling from this one. Fans needed for that kind of fight

Cent0089 wrote: ↑11 May 2021, 14:55 I have FOTY feeling from this one. Fans needed for that kind of fight

It will be FOTY that bugger all people will see.
No national television coverage.
Even casuals will miss this event.
Heck, most of us will struggle to watch it live at least.
A sad reflection of where the sport is headed.

KiwiRider wrote: ↑11 May 2021, 15:15

Cent0089 wrote: ↑11 May 2021, 14:55 I have FOTY feeling from this one. Fans needed for that kind of fight

It will be FOTY that bugger all people will see.
No national television coverage.
Even casuals will miss this event.
Heck, most of us will struggle to watch it live at least.
A sad reflection of where the sport is headed.

You mean in Aus? It’s on regular ESPN in the States.

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑11 May 2021, 15:21

KiwiRider wrote: ↑11 May 2021, 15:15

Cent0089 wrote: ↑11 May 2021, 14:55 I have FOTY feeling from this one. Fans needed for that kind of fight

It will be FOTY that bugger all people will see.
No national television coverage.
Even casuals will miss this event.
Heck, most of us will struggle to watch it live at least.
A sad reflection of where the sport is headed.

You mean in Aus? It’s on regular ESPN in the States.

I can't find it on regular ESPN here. Not on Sky or DuZuN (which is the kiwi version of DAZN) either.

Taylor gotta deal with Ramirez. I'll be surprised, if he won't. Taylor had more convincing wins over the better guys. Ramirez will make it more or less competetive and I see him hearing the final bell, but I expect a clear dec for Taylor.

i think taylor already beat the second best guy at 140, but ramirez is still a real threat

should be a good clash , 2 top guys whose styles mix well, i think taylor has more tools but if he's anything off his game he can lose

margaret thatcher wrote: ↑11 May 2021, 16:20 i think taylor already beat the second best guy at 140, but ramirez is still a real threat

should be a good clash , 2 top guys whose styles mix well, i think taylor has more tools but if he's anything off his game he can lose

That Reggie?
The more I see him fight, the better that win was for Taylor.
Do you agree Reggie has improved since the WBSS?
Because I'm definitely keen for a rematch.

KiwiRider wrote: ↑11 May 2021, 16:52

margaret thatcher wrote: ↑11 May 2021, 16:20 i think taylor already beat the second best guy at 140, but ramirez is still a real threat

should be a good clash , 2 top guys whose styles mix well, i think taylor has more tools but if he's anything off his game he can lose

That Reggie?
The more I see him fight, the better that win was for Taylor.
Do you agree Reggie has improved since the WBSS?
Because I'm definitely keen for a rematch.

He didnt improved since WBSS. He was always beast

ya, i think reej is better than ramirez, im not sure if he's improved, but on his wbss form i'd take him to beat ramirez . he's been pretty beastly in all his wins and was still good in the taylor loss. very nice fighter

Prograis is a damn good fighter. Taylor got that big win and i think he beats ramirez too

Jeff_lacy_ko wrote: ↑11 May 2021, 17:07 Prograis is a damn good fighter. Taylor got that big win and i think he beats ramirez too

What surprised me most was how tough Prograis is. Some of that body punches from Taylor was murderuous and he took them like a boss. On the other hand Prograis is probably bigger puncher than Taylor and Taylor took his shots well too. man i am going to rewatch that fight, was pretty entertaining

Cent0089 wrote: ↑11 May 2021, 17:10

Jeff_lacy_ko wrote: ↑11 May 2021, 17:07 Prograis is a damn good fighter. Taylor got that big win and i think he beats ramirez too

What surprised me most was how tough Prograis is. Some of that body punches from Taylor was murderuous and he took them like a boss. On the other hand Prograis is probably bigger puncher than Taylor and Taylor took his shots well too. man i am going to rewatch that fight, was pretty entertaining

Yes, it is Taylors best win.
I'm a fan of Prograis, hard hitting and tough.

KiwiRider wrote: ↑11 May 2021, 17:15

Cent0089 wrote: ↑11 May 2021, 17:10

Jeff_lacy_ko wrote: ↑11 May 2021, 17:07 Prograis is a damn good fighter. Taylor got that big win and i think he beats ramirez too

What surprised me most was how tough Prograis is. Some of that body punches from Taylor was murderuous and he took them like a boss. On the other hand Prograis is probably bigger puncher than Taylor and Taylor took his shots well too. man i am going to rewatch that fight, was pretty entertaining

Yes, it is Taylors best win.
I'm a fan of Prograis, hard hitting and tough.

Me too ...i am wondering what is next for him. I am fan of Taylor and Ramirez too

There is a glitch in the boxrec SLW rankings.
Love Reggie, but he ain't no #1 right now.

if rikki naito stopped prograis, prograis would still be ranked ahead of taylor on boxrec

until recently taylor was behind prograis, ramirez, and zepeda !

Prograis looked better than Ramirez indeed. Faster, slicker, craftier. I picked him to win Taylor, so it was a huge win for Josh. Not sure, if Prograis improved after the WBSS, there were no big challenges after it, but he didn't decline either.

Undercard Press Release

Before Jose Ramirez and Josh Taylor clash for the undisputed junior welterweight world title Saturday, May 22 at The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, two featherweight firefights will get the action going.

Mexican contender Jose Enrique Vivas will battle the Robert Garcia-trained Louie Coria in a scheduled eight-rounder.

And, in an eight-rounder with a touch of gold, two-time Cuban Olympic gold medalist Robeisy Ramirez will face Juan Tapia, the fighting pride of Brownsville, Texas.

Vivas-Coria and Ramirez-Tapia are among the undercard fights scheduled to stream live and exclusively on ESPN+ at 5:15 p.m. ET/2:15 p.m. PT.

Ramirez-Taylor headlines a junior welterweight tripleheader starting at 8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT on ESPN, ESPN Deportes & ESPN+. The main card will also showcase Jose “Chon” Zepeda in a 10-rounder versus “Hammerin” Hank Lundy and unbeaten sensation Elvis “The Dominican Kid” Rodriguez against former U.S. amateur star Kenneth "Bossman" Sims Jr. in an eight-rounder.

Vivas (20-1, 11 KOs) went 2-0 last year inside the MGM Grand Las Vegas Bubble, outlasting Carlos Jackson in a Fight of the Year contender and knocking out John Vincent Moralde in the opening round. A former Mexican amateur standout, Vivas has won three straight bouts since a points loss to Ruben Villa. Coria (12-4, 7 KOs), from Moreno Valley, California, hopes to break a two-bout losing skid, although both defeats came in brawls that could’ve easily gone his way. Last June, he dropped a majority decision to Adam Lopez, and four months later, he knocked down 2016 Olympic gold medalist Robson Conceicao en route to a disputed unanimous decision verdict.

Ramirez (6-1, 4 KOs) turned his career around following a shocking decision defeat to Adan Gonzales in his professional debut. He avenged that loss last July via shutout decision and most recently knocked out Brandon Valdes (13-1 at the time) in the sixth round. Ramirez makes his 2021 debut against Tapia (10-3, 3 KOs), a seven-year pro who has gone the distance against 2016 Olympic bronze medalist Vladimir Nikitin and pound-for-pound standout Shakur Stevenson.

In other undercard action:

Las Vegas native Andres Cortes (13-0, 7 KOs) will make his 11th consecutive hometown appearance, this time against Eduardo “Thunder” Garza (15-3-1, 8 KOs) in an eight-round junior lightweight tilt. Cortes made a memorable impression inside the MGM Grand Las Vegas Bubble last July, recovering from a fourth-round knockdown to outpoint Alejandro Salinas.

Raymond “Danger” Muratalla (11-0, 9 KOs), the Robert Garcia-trained lightweight prospect from Fontana, California, will fight Jose Luis Gallegos (20-10, 15 KOs) in an eight-rounder. Muratalla is coming off a third-round stoppage win over Luis Porozo last November on the Terence Crawford-Kell Brook card, his sixth consecutive knockout win.

Middleweight prospect Javier "Milwaukee Made" Martinez (3-0, 1 KO), who was once the top-ranked American amateur at 165 pounds, will fight veteran Calvin Metcalf (10-5-1, 3 KOs) in a six-rounder. Martinez last fought Feb. 20 and knocked out Billy Wagner in the first round.

Insane that they'll be crowning another undisputed champion (barring a draw or something like that). The Ramirez - Taylor winner doesn't feel as impressive as some of the other undisputed champions we've seen, neither of them even being in boxrec's top 20 p4p, but oh well.

Lackeos wrote: ↑12 May 2021, 05:13 Insane that they'll be crowning another undisputed champion (barring a draw or something like that). The Ramirez - Taylor winner doesn't feel as impressive as some of the other undisputed champions we've seen, neither of them even being in boxrec's top 20 p4p, but oh well.

Winner should break into top 10

Lackeos wrote: ↑12 May 2021, 05:13 Insane that they'll be crowning another undisputed champion (barring a draw or something like that). The Ramirez - Taylor winner doesn't feel as impressive as some of the other undisputed champions we've seen, neither of them even being in boxrec's top 20 p4p, but oh well.

I dont think it's so much that none of them deserve it, but that there's a number of very good fighters in that division without a lot of space between them. And it'll still be that way if that fight just ends with a close decision.

Whoever wins this one SHOULD be in the top 20, IMO.

ironbeard wrote: ↑12 May 2021, 20:15 Whoever wins this one SHOULD be in the top 20, IMO.

What do you mean Beardie?
They both sit just outside the all time boxrec #20 SLW's.
The Prograis glitch has him at #20 for now.