Cuban WBO featherweight champion Robeisy Ramirez will cap off his successful year by facing unbeaten Mexican contender Rafael Espinoza on December 9th. The two will headline a Top Rank fight card at the Charles F. Dodge Center in Florida, where Ramirez will be defending his WBO title for the second time in his career.
After winning the WBO featherweight title in April of this year against Isaac Dogboe (24-3, 15 KO’s) and successfully defending it for the first time in July against Satoshi Shimuzu (11-2, 10 KO’s), Robeisy Ramirez (13-1, 8 KO’s) has chosen to remain active with another world title defense.
His opponent, Rafael Espinoza (21-0, 18 KO’s), boasts an unbeaten record and has never fought for any title since making his pro debut in 2013, which makes this his first attempt to win any belt as a professional.
Although unproven, Espinoza has an 85% KO ratio, suggesting that an upset is possible if Ramirez is not 100% focused and ready. However, the fact that Robeisy Ramirez defeated a fighter with a 90% KO record in his last match against Shimuzu makes it a significant challenge for Espinoza, who is facing an elite opponent for the first time in his career.
Despite Espinoza’s lack of credentials, the Mexican contender presents a genuine threat to Ramirez as he is currently on a five-match winning streak since 2021.
There are some doubts about the match-up, as the WBO featherweight rankings feature at least ten fighters ranked above Rafael Espinoza, who is currently rated at #11. Fighters like #1 WBO featherweight contender Arnold Khegai (20-1-1, 12 KO’s), a former world title challenger, have been available to fight since his last match in July, indicating that Ramirez may have opted for an easier fight.
While Khegai is not the mandatory challenger to Ramirez at the moment, he is certainly in a position to be considered as such given his high ranking in the WBO’s featherweight division. It appears that Espinoza was deliberately chosen to help Ramirez stay active.
The matchmaking with Espinoza may not pose career issues for Ramirez if he wins and then aims to unify titles. However, a loss could have a significant impact on Ramirez’s career. Therefore, his fight with Espinoza creates additional pressure for him compared to facing a top-10 opponent. Nonetheless, as a world champion, Ramirez has the right to select any opponent from the top 15 for a voluntary title defense, regardless of their ranking.
The Charles F. Dodge Center in Florida will host this match as the main event. The undercard will include super welterweight Puerto Rican prospect Xander Zayas (17-0, 11 KO’s) facing the best Spanish 154-pounder in the world, Jorge Fortea (24-3-1, 9 KO’s).
American featherweight prospect Bruce Carrington (9-0, 5 KO’s) will also be featured on December 9th, facing fellow American Jason Sanchez (16-4, 9 KO’s), who will be moving down from his regular weight class at 130 lbs to face Carrington.
The event’s card will also provide additional information about American heavyweight prospect Richard Torrez Jr., who is set to fight on the card but has yet to find an opponent.
