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The star ratings indicate how well the writer believes the fighters match up, the fight(s)’ contextual significance, and how good the fight(s) will be38 lBOXING NEWSlJULY 25, 2019 http://www.boxingnewsonline.netTWO world super-lightweight titles
will be unified this Saturday ( July 27)
in Arlington, Texas, when unbeaten
champions Jose Ramirez and Maurice
Hooker meet at the College Park Center
on a Matchroom Boxing promotion.
Ramirez, the WBC champion, won his
title with a 12-round decision over Amir
Imam last March and has since defended
it in distance fights against Antonio
Orozco and Jose Zepeda.
Hooker, meanwhile, is the owner
of the WBO title, a belt he won when
travelling to Britain last June and
outscoring Manchester’s Terry Flanagan
over 12 rounds. That went down as a
split decision, though that’s being kind to
Flanagan. Regardless, Hooker has proven
his quality since with successful defences
against Alex Saucedo, whom he stopped
in seven rounds, and Mikkel LesPierre,
outpointed over 12.
Although both are world champions,
Ramirez and Hooker are still very much
finding their feet in their respective roles.They have conquered a string of fringe
contenders, and shown flashes of class
and potential dominance, yet neither
feel like established champions, nor can
they claim to be the number one at the
weight. This gives their fight, though a
unification, more of a semi-final feel,
particularly when Regis Prograis, the
WBA champion, and Josh Taylor, the IBF
champion, are soon to meet.
The one tough test California’s
Ramirez has faced so far came against
Zepeda in his last title defence. That
night in February, Ramirez, 24-0 (20),
failed to get going early, found himself
outboxed at times, yet eventually
rallied late and capitalised on the fact
Zepeda had never gone the 12-round
distance before. He finished strongly
to take a majority decision win, but the
performance highlighted as many of his
vulnerabilities as plus points. Zepeda
rued all those inside-distance wins of his,
aware he lost a fight he could have won.
Unlike Zepeda, both Ramirez and
Hooker are accustomed to going 12
rounds, even if they go about getting
there in different ways. Hooker, 26-0-3
(17), the pure, technical boxer, looks toget behind his jab and use it to poke,
prod and dissect an opponent. The Texan
likes to break them down gradually,
doing it cleanly and with style. Ramirez,
on the other hand, is less concerned
about the jab and more inclined to get
busy, throwing combinations until he
makes an impression on his foe.
This style blend should make for an
interesting fight, just as it should almost
guarantee a distance fight. Ramirez, 26,
will look to get the job done with work
rate and combinations in close, whereas
Hooker, 29, will attempt to create space
and walk the WBC champion into traps.
On recent form, it’s the latter approach,
the approach dictated by the Hooker
jab, one favours to secure two belts.
Supporting Ramirez-Hooker is an IBF
super-featherweight title fight between
two southpaws – Tevin Farmer, the
champion, and Frenchman Guillaume
Frenois.
Farmer, 29-4-1 (6), the ever-
improving, well-schooled Philadelphian,
easily outpointed Ireland’s Jono Carroll
in his last defence in March and should
be able to do something similar against
Frenois, 46-1-1 (12), a former European
champion held to a controversial draw
by Carroll in December.
Frenois is a solid boxer with good
skills, and certainly deserved the nod
over Carroll, but has been dawdling in
France too long and, at 35, has probably
made his move into title contention a
little too late.
Russia’s former IBF and WBA
cruiserweight champion Murat Gassiev,
26-1 (19), is now looking to make waves
as a heavyweight. He goes over 10
against Philly’s Joey Dawejko, 19-7-
4 (11), who comes off a run of three
straight decision losses.
Sky Sports Action/Main Event (UK)
and DAZN (US) televise.THE VERDICT An interesting blend
of styles in the main event.★★★★ MAIN EVENT
★★★ UNDERCARDTEXAS ROUND-UP
Two world
titles will
be brought
together in
Arlington,
writes
Elliot
Worsell
Photo: ED MULHOLLAND/MATCHROOM
BRINGING THE HEAT:
Ramirez always
comes to fightTALE OF THE TAPE
JOSE RAMIREZ MAURICE HOOKER
@RAMIREZBOXING @mightymohooker
Aug 12, 1992/26 DOB/AGE Aug 7, 1989/29
Avenal, CA HOMETOWN Dallas, TX
American NATIONALITY American
24-0 (16) RECORD 26-0-3 (17)
Orthodox STA NCE Orthodox
Dec 8, 2012/20 DEBUT/AGE Apr 29, 2011/21
67 KO PERCENTAGE 59
WWWWWW LAST SIX FIGHTS WWWWWD
109 ROUNDS BOXED 134
3 WORLD TITLE FIGHTS 3