Rau'Shee Warren Back in December, Eyes Title Fight

By Jake Donovan

Rau’Shee Warren fought at home in Cincinnati for the first time in his pro career, scoring a 10-round decision over durable Jose Luis Araiza. The bout came in supporting capacity to longtime friend Adrien Broner, who rallied to take a 12-round win over Emmanuel Taylor in the main event Saturday evening at the U.S Bank Arena.

More than anything else, Warren (12-0, 3KOs) wanted to give the packed crowd of 8,115 a knockout ending. He came close when he dropped Araiza in the 9th round of their bantamweight bout, which aired live on SHO Extreme prior to Showtime’s flagship station going live for a televised tripleheader

“I landed that shot I was looking for and that that I had him,” Warren said after the fight. “I was trying to catch him with right hooks but my left hand (which dropped Araiza) was catching him all night.”

Araiza made it to his feet and was able to go the full ten rounds, though not winning any of them in the process. Scores of 100-89 across the board gave Warren his 7th consecutive decision win, including back-to-back 10-round fights.

“This was my second time going ten, doing it in May in Las Vegas. I felt real good, felt like I could go another 10 rounds to be honest,” Warren insisted. “My opponents are playing defense, don’t try to engage me, so I got to bait them in, make them think they in the fight and then catch ‘em with something big.”

The fight was just the third of 2014 for Warren, the only fighter in U.S. boxing history to serve on three separate Olympic squads. The pride of Cincinnati represented the U.S. in 2004, 2008 and 2012, turning pro shortly after the 2012 London Olympics.

Anxious to make up for lost time, Warren plans at least one more fight. Where and against whom aren’t entirely known, though the 27-year old believes a title fight is on the horizon.

“It’s not a matter of if I’m ready, it’s when the title shot comes that’s the only question for my future,” Warren insists. “Whatever Al Haymon and my team have in store, I’ll be ready. I’m coming back in December. Not sure who I’m fighting, or if it will be here or somewhere else. It felt good to come home, this was my first fight in Cincinnati and first time on a card with Adrien since I was an amateur.

“I’m ready to come back home again, and one day bring a title back here too.”

Jake Donovan is the Managing Editor of BoxingScene.com, as well as a member of Transnational Boxing Ratings Board and the Boxing Writers Association of America. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox