WBC Special Preview: Barrios vs Ramos

WBC STATISTICS

WBC Welterweight World Championship

November 15, 2024 / Arlington, Texas / AT&T Stadium

MVP PROMOTIONS PRESENTS:

MARIO “Azteca” BARRIOS (USA)

WBC Welterweight World Champion

Former WBC Interim Welterweight Champion

Former WBC Continental Americas Champion

Age: 29 / Date of birth: May 18, 1995

Residence: San Antonio, Texas / Birthplace: Racine, Wisconsin

Record: 29-2, 18 KOs / Total rounds: 186 / World championship fights: 2-1, 0 KOs

Height: 5’11” – 180cm / Reach

ABEL RAMOS (USA)

Ranked WBC No. 8 at Welterweight

Age: 33 / Date of birth: July 2, 1991

Residence: Casa Grande, Arizona / Birthplace: Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

Record: 28-6-2, 22 KOs / Total rounds: 183 / World championship fights: 0-1

Height: 5’9” – 175cm / Reach: 70” – 178cm / Stance: Right-handed

Trainer: Jesus Ramos Sr.

WBC WELTERWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONS

1. Luis Manuel Rodriguez (Cuba)         1963
2. Emile Griffith (Virg. Island)                 1963 – 1966
3. Curtis Cokes (US)                              1966 – 1969
4. Jose Napoles (Mexico)                      1969 – 1970
5. Billy Backus (US)                               1970 – 1971
6. Jose Napoles (Mexico) *                    1971 – 1975
7. John Stracey (GB)                             1975 – 1976
8. Carlos Palomino (Mexico)                  1976 – 1979
9. Wilfredo Benitez (P. Rico)                  1979
10. Ray Leonard (US)                            1979 – 1980
11. Roberto Duran (Panama)                 1980
12. Ray Leonard (US) *                          1980 – 1983
13. Milton McCrory (US)                         1983 – 1985
14. Donald Curry (US)                            1985 – 1986
15. Lloyd Honeyghan (Jamaica)             1986 – 1987
16. Jorge Vaca (Mexico)                        1987 – 1988
17. Lloyd Honeyghan (Jamaica) *           1988 – 1989
18. Marlon Starling (US)                         1989 – 1990
19. Maurice Blocker (US)                       1990 – 1991
20. Simon Brown (Jamaica)                   1991
21. James McGirt (US)                           1991 – 1993
22. Pernell Whitaker (US)                       1993 – 1997
23. Oscar de la Hoya (US)                      1997 – 1999
24. Felix Trinidad (P. Rico)                     1999
25. Oscar de la Hoya (US) *                   2000
26. Shane Mosley (US)                          2000 – 2002
27. Vernon Forrest (US)                         2002 – 2003
28. Ricardo Mayorga (Nicaragua)           2003
29. Cory Spinks (US)                             2003 – 2005
30. Zab Judah (US)                               2005 – 2006
31. Carlos Baldomir (Argentina)             2006
32. Floyd Mayweather Jr. (US)               2006 – 2007
33. Shane Mosley (US) Interim *            2007
34. Andre Berto (US)                             2008 – 2011
35. Victor Ortiz (US)                               2011
36. Robert Guerrero (US) Interim2012 – 2013
37. Floyd Mayweather Jr. (US) *            2011 – 2015
38. Danny Garcia (US)                           2016 – 2017
39. Keith Thurman (US)                         2017 – 2018
40. Shawn Porter (US)                           2018 – 2019
41. Errol Spence Jr. (US)                       2019 – 2023
42. Terence Crawford (US) In Recess2023 – 2024
43. Mario Barrios (US)                           2024 –

* Regained

WBC TOP 10 WELTERWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONS

1. Sugar Ray Leonard (US)

2. Floyd Mayweather Jr. (US)

3. Oscar de la Hoya (Mexico/US)

4. Jose Napoles (Mexico/Cuba)

5. Roberto Duran (Panama)

6. Emile Griffith (Virgin Is.)

7. Pernell Whitaker (US)

8. Shane Mosley (US)

9. Carlos Palomino (Mex)

10. John Stracey (GB)

MEMORABLE WBC WELTERWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FIGHTS

July 29, 2023    Terence Crawford TKO9 Errol Spence Jr. – Las Vegas, Nevada

Apr. 26, 2022   Errol Spence Jr. TKO10 Yordenis Ugas – Arlington, Texas

Dec. 5, 2020    Errol Spence Jr. W12 Danny Garcia – Arlington, Texas

Sep. 28, 2019   Errol Spence Jr. W12 Shawn Porter – Los Angeles, California

Sep. 8, 2018    Shawn Porter W12 Danny Garcia – Brooklyn, New York

Mar. 4, 2017     Keith Thurman W12 Danny Garcia – Brooklyn, New York

Jan. 23, 2016   Danny Garcia W12 Robert Guerrero – Los Angeles, California

May 2, 2015     Floyd Mayweather Jr. W12 Manny Pacquiao – Las Vegas, Nevada

May 3, 2014     Floyd Mayweather Jr. W12 Marcos Maidana – Las Vegas, Nevada

Jan. 26, 2002   Vernon Forrest W12 Shane Mosley – New York, New York

June 17, 2000  Shane Mosley W12 Oscar de la Hoya – Los Angeles, California

Feb. 13, 1999   Oscar de la Hoya W12 Ike Quartey – Las Vegas, Nevada

Oct. 1, 1994     Pernell Whitaker W12 James McGirt – Norfolk, Virginia

Sep. 10, 1993   Pernell Whitaker D12 Julio Cesar Chavez – San Antonio, Texas

Sep. 18, 1989   Felix Trinidad W12 Oscar de la Hoya – Las Vegas, Nevada

Feb. 4, 1989     Marlon Starling TKO9 Lloyd Honeyghan – Las Vegas, Nevada

Sep. 27, 1986   Lloyd Honeyghan TKO6 Donald Curry – Atlantic City, New Jersey

Dec. 6, 1985    Donald Curry KO2 Milton McCrory – Las Vegas, Nevada

Sep. 16, 1981   Sugar Ray Leonard TKO14 Thomas Hearns – Las Vegas, Nevada

June 20, 1980  Roberto Duran W15 Sugar Ray Leonard – Montréal, Quebec

June 22, 1976  Carlos Palomino TKO12 John Stracey – London, England

Dec. 6, 1976    John Stracey TKO6 José Napoles – Mexico City, Distrito Federal

Apr. 18, 1969   José Napoles TKO13 Curtis Cokes – Inglewood, California

Nov. 28, 1966   Curtis Cokes W15 Jean Josselin – Dallas, Texas

Dec. 8, 1962    Emile Griffith TKO9 Jorge José Fernandez – Las Vegas, Nevada

An Abel Opponent for Mario

By James Blears

World Boxing Council welterweight champion Mario ‘’Azteca’’ Barrios defends his Green and Gold Belt against Abel Ramos, at the AT&T Stadium, hallowed ground of the Dallas Cowboys on Friday November 15^th. It will complement the Mike Tyson Vs Jake Paul Extravaganza.

Both men are of Mexican ancestry and so, fierce fighting pride and stamping ground rights are on the line, which will make it top notch.

Mario who is from San Antonio, Texas says it’s extra special to fight in front of his fans from The Lone Star State commenting: ‘’I am a proud San Antonio native, Every time I fight here, I feel extra support and energy from the crowd. Texas has some of the best boxing fans in the world and it’s an honour to defend my tile in front of them.

‘’I know Abel Ramos is a tough opponent who comes to fight. He’s experienced and dangerous, so I’m expecting a hard- fought battle. But, I’m ready to show why I’m the champion. The belt is staying with me!’’

Abel from Phoenix, Arizona, who is planning to raise cain says: ‘’I’m excited to be fighting for the WBC title. He’s a warrior just like me and I’m going to give the fans at the Cowboys Stadium an exciting fight.’’

Neither of these men come to this fight with unblemished records Mario’s is 29-2, 18 KO’s. While Abel’s is 28-6-2, 22 KO’s. Both have had to overcome a significant setback in their respective careers.

Years past in the golden age of Boxing, a loss here and there and everywhere didn’t matter anywhere near as much as it does today, with the nowadays expectation of perfection. Even when: ‘’Paradise is lost,’’ defeats can be frowned on, unless swift redeeming action rectifies them.

Back when ‘’Mr Tough and Tough’’ Fritzie Zivic fought in the 1930’s and forties, winning the welterweight title off ‘’Hammering Hank’’ Henry Armstrong in 1940, his grand finale record reads almost lopsided. Fritizie hung up his gloves after a career of 233 fights, including 158 wins, 81 KO’s and… 65 losses!

Mario who fought his pro debut in 2013, became a world champion in defeating hitherto undefeated Batyr Arkmedov for the WBA Regular super-lightweight title with a UD, after dropping him in the fourth and twelfth of a very keenly contested battle.

But two fights later, he encountered the smaller but hard-hitting southpaw marvel Gervonta ‘’Tank’’ Davis, who ruthlessly tore away his unbeaten record. Mario who is much physically taller and bigger, initially boxed smart, using his longer reach to keep Gervonta at arm’s length bay.

But, by round five, Mario’s right eye was swelling badly and Gervonta was walking down the range gap. He dropped Mario with a perfectly timed right counter in round eight and then with a peach of a left hook in that same round, which Mario did well to survive.

Tank who was seeking a world title in a third division walked through fire in the eleventh and dropped Mario with a heart-rending left to the liver. How Mario got up, I’ll never know. When Referee Thomas Taylor asked him if he was all right to continue, he didn’t waste words, Just nodding, in an ashen fashion. A follow up left hook against the ropes, moments later and it was all over.

No one can ask a person to give more than their absolute all. On this night, against a superstar, Mario came up short. Gervonta went across to Mario’s corner and embraced him. They congratulated each other with words of mutual respect. It was humbling to behold.

Mario moved up to welterweight and lost his next fight, this time to Keith Thurman by UD. But since then, he’s bounced back. He TKO’d Jovanie Santiago in eight for the WBC Continental Americas title. A perfectly time left hook to the liver. Santiago bravely got up but was bombarded and his corner threw in the towel. Then Mario defeated former champion Yordenis Ugas by UD for the vacant WBC Interim belt. Very much the underdog, he defied the odds to drop Ugas in the second and the twelfth.

He then fought Fabian ‘’TNT’’ Maidana, who proved anything but, fighting increasingly defensively after being dropped in the third. Mario had to overcome a badly swelled left eye on the way to victory.

The WBC promoted Mario to Absolute Champion when Terence ‘’Bud’’ Crawford became Champion in Recess. Mario is determined to underline his status.

Abel is now thirty-three years old. His pro debut was in 2011. Almost ten years ago as a youngster of twenty-four, he was badly mauled by Regis Prograis and had to come back from this wincingly painful defeat. By round four his left eye was badly swollen. In the next round an accidental clash of heads left him with a cut on his hairline. Referee Laurence Cole paused the actions several times for the Ring Doctor to inspect the weeping wounds damage. Abel was a sight for sore eyes. The one- sided pummeling continued and not before time, Abel’s corner called a halt after the end of the eighth. His career could have ended there and then on that night, but he showed character and fortitude to overcome a defeat, which would have been crushingly final to another.

Five years and fifteen fights later, two of which he lost, he took on Yordenis Ugas, fought well but lost a SD. He then TKO’d a fading Omar Figueroa in six, but disappointing lost decisions to Luke Santamaria and Cody Crowley. Just in the nick of time, he came back to TKO Juan Ramon Guzman in five, to earn his title opportunity.

Abel Aaron Ramos is thirty-three, which is four years older than the Champion Mario Barrios. He’ll need to earn double A for effort in what is likely to transform into a gruelling war of attrition. Desire and determination will be the key factors, at this rarefied level. Who wants it the most and who is prepared to dig the deepest, even to the gates of hell and back, to gain victory. War and Peace, gained from the trenches of resolve.