Jose Ramirez Views Hooker As "Big Step" Towards Undisputed

By Jake Donovan

It remains to be seen whether Jose Carlos Ramirez will bother to learn the correct pronunciation for sports streaming service DAZN by the time he faces Maurice Hooker on the platform.

For now, the only new phrase he’s fully interested in repeating is unified champion.

“Ever since I came out of the 2012 Olympic Games my goal was to become a world champion. When I became a world champion, my goal was to become the undisputed champion,” Ramirez (24-0, 16KOs) noted during Friday’s press conference in Arlington, Tex. to formally announce his July 27 super lightweight title unification clash with Hooker at College Park Center. “I think Maurice Hooker is a big step to me making that happen.”

The 26-year old from the Central Valley region of California—where he has long served as a huge attraction even during his years as a rising prospect—made the rookie mistake at the mic in stating DAZN as it is spelled (as opposed to “Da-Zone”, how it’s meant to be pronounced), but remains very much appreciative of the opportunity provided in exchange for his crossing the street from ESPN, where he has spent his last four fights.

Included among the batch was Ramirez’s title winning effort, claiming a 12-round decision over Amir Imam last March in New York City. Each of his two title defenses landed at home, playing to sold-out crowds at Save Mart Arena in Fresno, Calif., where he scored consecutive points wins over Antonio Ramriez and Jose Zepeda.

His upcoming unification bout versus Hooker (26-0-3, 17KOs) marks just his fourth career fight in Texas, having not appeared there since Feb. 2014, less than two years removed from his tour with the U.S. Olympic boxing team in the 2012 London Olympics. It’s his first career fight—especially on this stage—where he enters as the true visiting fighter, as the fight venue is less than 30 minutes from Hooker’s Dallas hometown.

“I’m very honored to be fighting here in a very different venue,” noted Ramirez in embracing the road trip. “I know there are a lot of fans here who love boing, who support boxing. This is the type of fight that every champion should step up (to take) and give this type of fight to the fans. They deserve this.”

Both combatants enter as unbeaten titlists, looking to make the third successful defense of their respective reigns.

Hooker earned his keep the hard way, hitting the road to win his title versus Terry Flanagan in Manchester, England last June and then traveling to Oklahoma City to score a sensational 7th round knockout of local contender Alex Saucedo last November. His most recent defense came on neutral soil, outpointing Mikkel LesPierre this past March in Verona, New York.

Both boxers reached a point in their career where it was time to chase the bigger fights. With the division’s best two other options—fellow unbeaten titlists Regis Prograis and Josh Taylor—tied up in the World Boxing Super Series awaiting a date and location for their finals matchup—the remaining two titlists turned to each other.

“It’s always been an honor to fight, something that motivates me to do something bigger than just boxing,” stated Ramirez, who has spent many years as an activist in the fight for water in drought-stricken Central California as well as for immigration rights among the Mexican community. “My goal when I box is to motivate other people to be better.

“This is the type of fight that is going to motivate people to push themselves, to be better. This is a fight that is going to make me better and take my career to a whole new level.”

Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox