It was last December when Robeisy Ramirez (14-2, 9 KOs) and Rafael Espinoza (25-0, 21 KOs) fought a hard-fought battle in Miami, where they both touched the canvas and after 36 minutes all- out. war, a new champion was crowned.
(Credit: Top Rank)
Rafael Espinoza completed his lifelong dream of becoming a world champion by capturing the WBO featherweight championship, throwing almost 1,000 punches in the fight. He was resilient, determined and persistent, overcoming a leg injury sustained in the 5th round when he was knocked out. Here it is, December once again, and we’re days away from what should be an epic rematch.
Both are looking to improve from the first match, Espinoza due to his leg injury and Ramirez due to personal issues that affected his performance. Robeisy’s father was ill during the match and was affected by his father’s condition during the training camp. He has vowed to do better this time and regain his title. Their bout will headline the Emanuel Navarrette vs. Oscar Valdez card this Saturday, December 7, in Phoenix, Arizona.
Robeisy Ramirez was beaten by a relentless volume attack that could not be stopped. Espinoza threw 121 punches in the 12th round, showing that he has great stamina and endurance, being able to throw that many punches until the end of the fight. He was able to land a fight-high 45 power punches in the round, overwhelming Ramirez and dropping him late in the round.
If Espinoza can improve on that performance, he will pose defensive challenges for Ramirez. He has to be careful not to stifle his offense like he did in the first match and not throw punches recklessly. He needs to be more controlled and accurate with his punches.
He has a 6-inch range advantage and should use it effectively when fighting at long range. If he can control the distance, it will allow him to be much more accurate with his punches and ultimately make it difficult for Ramirez to counter.
Espinoza is not defensively sound and takes unnecessary punishment due to his thirst for blood. it tends to stay in the pocket longer than it should. Ramirez has power and if he sees an opening he will take it. He will look to capitalize on every opportunity he gets, as he did in the first fight when he scored the 5th round knockdown.
Robeisy has Olympic pedigree and when he chooses to, he can box beautifully. When he fought the tall, lanky Satoshi Shimizu, who stood at 5’11 and had a 3.5 advantage against him, he closed the distance and penetrated the former’s guard with an effective uppercut and following it up with combination punches .
Defensively, he used a high guard, parried and slipped punches, and moved away effectively. He didn’t do that against Espinoza in the first fight. he must do them in the second leg to succeed. Rafael has higher punch resistance, longer range, and overall is much more skilled than Shimizu.
If Ramirez repeats the mistake of the first fight, opting to stay in the pocket and slug it out with Espinoza, he may be overwhelmed by the intensity, he needs to box him smartly using the inside and outside movement like he did with Shimizu. . Both boxers stated that they were not at their best in the first fight, they recognize their mistakes and will look to improve, which will make this fight very interesting.
Source: Compubox
