Freddie Roach: Jose Ramirez is a Much Better Puncher Now
Mar 15, 2018 • 7:47 PM ET
By Steve Kim
This coming Saturday night, renowned trainer Freddie Roach leads undefeated Jose Ramirez into battle against Amir Imam for the vacant WBC junior welterweight title at the Theater at New York's Madison Square Garden as the main event on ESPN.
Roach says of Imam (21-1, 18 KO's) - "it's a tough fight, he's got a good right hand, good puncher."
His lone loss came against Adrien Granados, who wore him down in eight rounds.
For Roach, grinding down Imam the way Granados did is key.
"We have to pressure him, a lot of volume, a lot of body shots," Roach said to BoxingScene.com.
In Ramirez's last bout back in November he stopped Mike Reed in two rounds flashing some real power.
"He's a much better puncher now," said Roach, of Ramirez (21-0, 16 KO's).
"He's one guy that nobody really wants to do mitts with because he hits hard. He's a much better puncher, you can feel it, he's looser, quicker, good power."
At 25 years old Ramirez is coming into his own physically and technically according to Roach.
"He's developed maturity and his technique and skill, also, with timing,'' said the veteran trainer, who has trained Ramirez full time the past several years at the Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood, California.
The undercard of Ramirez-Imam will feature Michael Conlan (5-0, 4 KOs) facing David Berna (15-2, 14 KOs) in an eight-round featherweight special attraction. Oleksandr Gvozdyk (14-0, 12 KOs) will fight France’s Mehdi Amar (34-5-2 16 KOs) for the interim WBC Light Heavyweight title.
The undercard will also feature three of Puerto Rico's top fighters. Felix Verdejo (23-0, 15 KOs) returns from a 13-month layoff to face Antonio Lozada, Jr. (38-2, 32 KOs), former IBF Junior Lightweight world champion Jose Pedraza (22-1, 12 KOs) begins his lightweight campaign against Jose Luis Rodriguez (26-11-1, 14 KOs), and the unbeaten Christopher Diaz (22-0, 14 KOs) defends his NABO Super Featherweight belt against Braulio Rodriguez (19-2, 17 KOs).
Steve Kim is the news editor for BoxingScene.com.
