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Former unified super lightweight world champion José Ramírez of California is scheduled to face two-time former Puerto Rican world champion José “Sniper” Pedraza on Friday, March 4, at the Save Mart Center in Fresno, California.
Ramirez, from Avenal, California, returns to his home at the Save Mart Center, where he has held 5 main events drawing more than 65,000 fans from California’s Central Valley.
Ramirez (26-1, 17 KOs) will return to the ring for the first time since May’s decision loss to Josh Taylor for the undisputed welterweight title. Ramírez had made four title defences since he won the WBC crown in 2018, unifying the following year with a knockout victory over Maurice Hooker.
This is what Ramirez had to say after a recent training session at the Robert Garcia Boxing Academy in Riverside, California:
“The loss against Taylor taught me a lot. It was the first of my career, and I feel like it brought back my hunger for boxing again. I’ve really enjoyed this training camp preparing to get back on the winning path. I’ve had a lot of fun training with Robert Garcia in Riverside. I have corrected the mistakes that I made in that fight against Taylor. Maybe I had been making them for a long time, but when you are winning all your fights, you do not always look at the mistakes. I had a hard time accepting it, but I’ve already turned the page. There’s nothing I can do about it.
“I am ready to return to the top of the division. I know that I am one of the best fighters at 140 pounds. I want to regain my titles and win all the belts. It doesn’t matter if it’s in a rematch against Taylor, challenging another champion, or in a vacant title match against another top contender. I want my titles back!”
“José Pedraza is a tough test. He is a very good fighter and has looked good since he adjusted to the 140-pound division. I want to earn another shot at the title. I am not one to talk much. I come to face the best and let my performances in the ring speak for themselves.
“I hope that Pedraza comes well prepared. I want to face the best version of José Pedraza so we can give the fans another classic fight between Mexico and Puerto Rico.
“Coming back to fight again in front of my people in Fresno makes me very happy. I am training very hard because I want to bring joy and happiness to my fans again. I want them to feel proud, and that is why I am here to leave everything inside the ring on March 4 at Save Mart Center.”
Pedraza (29-3, 14 KOs), of Cidra, Puerto Rico, is a former super featherweight and lightweight world champion who has won three in a row since a decision loss to Jose Zepeda.
The fight, which is promoted by Top Rank, will be televised on ESPN.
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