NORTH HOLLYWOOD, Calif. – The super flyweight division has long been one of boxing’s most talented weight classes.
Some of the world’s top 115-pounders include Juan Francisco Estrada, Kazuto Ioka, Fernando Martinez, Junto Nakatani, Srisaket Sor Rungvisai, and Kosei Tanaka. Jesse Rodriguez would be among the names featured on the list, but “Bam” has moved down to 112 pounds ever since his breakout campaign in 2022.
If you ask Golden Boy president Eric Gomez, the entire sport’s best kept secret resides in the weight class, and his name is John “Scrappy” Ramirez.
The 26-year-old Los Angeles native Ramirez (10-0, 8 KOs) made his pro debut in Dec. 2020 and has quickly risen the ranks. His last three fights have taken place on Golden Boy cards.
And now, he’ll headline his own event when he faces off against Luis Villa Padilla (15-3-2, 2 KOs) in a super flyweight scrap Thursday at the Fantasy Springs Casino in Indio, Calif. The bout will serve as the main event for a “Golden Boy Fight Night” card on DAZN.
“We’re excited. This is going to be a big year for him,” Gomez told BoxingScene.com in an interview.
“He’s earned it in the ring. He’s a great fighter. People just have to see him more. His boxing ability is up there with some of the best fighters in the world. He’s a boxer-puncher with a really high IQ. His footwork is really good and ability to keep distance is something special. He’s got good defense but he’s aggressive.
“This is the year he becomes a world champion. He’s hungry. He has the right attitude. He’s ready.”
Gomez and company already have the tentative script set for Scrappy.
The plan is for Ramirez to beat Padilla in order to next face Thai boxer Sirichai Thaiyen (64-4, 42 KOs). Both fighters accepted offers from the WBA in December to meet in a bout to determine a mandatory challenger for the WBA champion Franco (18-1-3, 8 KOs).
Franco, meanwhile, still has unfinished business by way of a potential rematch against Ioka following their majority draw on New Year's Eve.
Ramirez is currently ranked No. 2 by the WBA – the No. 1 spot is vacant. The sanctioning body is the only one who has Ramirez ranked in the top 15.
“I think so [that he’s one of boxing’s best kept secrets]. Not only can he fight his ass off, he’s flashy – but in a good way,” said Gomez. “He has a lot of charisma and confidence. You look for that. All of the greats have that.”
Ramirez realizes that a solid showing could land him a long-term contract with one of boxing’s biggest promotional companies.
“They've seen what I am capable of. They just believe in me. I think they want me. I like what they are doing, so shout out to Golden Boy,” Ramirez told BoxingScene.com in an interview.
“It's a huge opportunity for me [to be headlining my own show]. I'm not even signed with Golden Boy, so that should tell you a lot. That they believe in me. But also I want to give credit to myself because I did it my way with self-belief, hard work and dedication. I stay consistent.”
Manouk Akopyan is a sports journalist, writer, and broadcast reporter. He’s also a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and the MMA Journalists Association. He can be reached on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube at @ManoukAkopyan, through email at manouk[dot]akopyan[at]gmail.com, or via www.ManoukAkopyan.com.