Future Plans Discussed For Julio Ceja, Hugo Ruiz

By Jake Donovan

For months, Hugo ‘Cuatito’ Ruiz chased after a super bantamweight title and any fight that would lead to such an opportunity. His consolation prize was a televised co-feature slot to Leo Santa Cruz’ eventual majority decision win over Abner Mares in their featherweight clash Saturday evening in Los Angeles, headlining the latest installment of Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on ESPN.

As for Ruiz, the night didn’t turn out quite as grand. Watching a title eliminator with Nonito Donaire and an ordered title fight with Santa Cruz eventually became an interim title fight with Julio Ceja, who climbed off the canvas to knock out his countryman and top-rated contender in five rounds.

Whereas it took months for Ruiz to await his title opportunity, it took mere hours for Ceja (30-1, 27KOs) to receive an instant upgrade from interim to full titlist. The news came in the aftermath of Santa Cruz’ win in his first fight as a full-fledged featherweight. The additional weight on his frame felt good enough to where the unbeaten pressure fighter opted to vacate his super bantameweight title.

“We expected that he could no longer make weight anymore, so his announcement didn’t really tell us anything we didn’t know,” noted Oswaldo Kuchle of Promociones del Pueblo, Ceja’s promoter.

The bout was actually the first for Ceja as a true super bantamweight, and one where he didn’t enter with any expectations other than winning the title.

“Yes that was the whole idea,” Ceja confirmed to BoxingScene.com of his plans heading into his second career title fight and first in the United States. “We knew Leo wouldn’t be a 122 lb. fighter, so we are very happy (with being named full champion).”

Ceja’s lone other crack at alphabet hardware came two years ago on the road in England, dropping a heartbreaking decision to Jamie McDonnell in their May ’13 bantamweight title fight. The loss remains his only to date, and he and Kuchle plan to be ringside for McDonnell’s rematch with Tomoki Kameda this Sunday in Corpus Christi, Texas.

Whatever the future has in store for Ceja, it will likely take place at super bantamweight.

As for Ruiz, perhaps he can get that long awaited crack at Santa Cruz after all. Of course, he will have to score a significant enough win to raise necessary interest, with such a path likely playing out in the featherweight division.

“On ‘Cuatito’ I will speak with my partner Sampson Lewkowicz,” Kuchle said of the two-time title challenger’s future. “I believe he will eventually move up to 126 lbs. He is very tall and had to sacrifice to make weight.”

Jake Donovan is the managing editor of BoxingScene.com.
Twitter: @JakeNDaBox
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