By Keith Idec
HOUSTON – Claudio Marrero did enough to impress the judges this time.
Five months after the featherweight contender dropped a 12-round unanimous decision to Tugstsogt Nyambayar, the Dominican southpaw defeated Eduardo Ramirez in their 12-round WBA elimination match Saturday night. Marrero won their competitive clash on all three scorecards to win a unanimous decision on the Jermall Charlo-Brandon Adams undercard at NRG Arena.
Marrero (24-3, 17 KOs) also claimed the WBA gold featherweight crown from Mexico’s Ramirez (22-2-3, 9 KOs, 1 NC) in a fight Showtime televised.
Judges Ruben Carrion (116-112), Glen Crocker (115-113) and James Green (118-110) all scored their fight for Marrero, who started the bout strong by battering Ramirez to his body.
His victory Saturday night moved Marrero, the WBA’s No. 9-ranked contender, closer toward a shot at WBA featherweight champ Leo Santa Cruz. Ramirez’s lone loss prior to Saturday night was a 12-round, unanimous-decision defeat to Wales’ Lee Selby, then the IBF featherweight champ, in December 2017.
A left-right combination by Ramirez caught Marrero clean with about 1:45 to go in their fight. Marrero came back and landed some hard shots later in the 12th round.
After going away from his body attack for a couple rounds, Marrero hammered away at Ramirez’s body at the start of the 10th round. Referee Rafael Ramos warned Marrero for hitting Ramirez low with about 45 seconds to go in the 10th round.
Ramirez’s three-punch combination connected as Marrero moved back to the ropes with about 1:20 to go in the ninth round. A short right hand by Ramirez landed flush right before the ninth round ended as well.
With Marrero backed into the ropes, Ramirez and Marrero traded power shots toward the end of the eighth round.
Two straight left hands by Marrero seemed to stun Ramirez about 35 seconds into the seventh round. After eating a right hook by Marrero, Ramirez landed a combination in the center of the ring.
Ramirez was busier and more accurate in the sixth round than he had been in the previous few rounds. Marrero wasn’t as effective to Ramirez’s body during those three minutes as he had been, either.
A straight left hand by Marrero backed up Ramirez with just under two minutes left in the fifth round. Marrero snapped back Ramirez’s head with a right hook when there were about 50 seconds to go in the fifth.
Marrero landed several right hands that doubled over Ramirez early in the fourth round. Marrero continued assaulting Ramirez to the body, before Ramirez came back with a combination of his own to Ramirez’s head late in that round.
A right-left combination by Ramirez caught Marrero with just over two minutes to go in the third round. Ramirez’s right hook got Marrero’s attention about 40 seconds later.
Marrero and Ramirez traded right hooks later in the third. Marrero hammered Ramirez with hard body shots toward the end of the third round.
Marrero hit Ramirez with three shots to the body just before the halfway point of the second round. Ramirez countered Marrero with a right hook to his head with just under a minute remaining in the second round.
Marrero landed a left to Ramirez’s body that caused Ramirez to hold him late in the first round.
Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.