Rafael Espinoza Robeisy Ramirez
On ESPN, Top Rank’s fight night in Pembrooke Pines, Florida, produced a great fight in a year of outstanding fights.
Rafael Espinoza (then, 23-0, 20 KO’s) was facing Cuban, two-time Olympic gold medalist Robeisy Ramírez (then 13-1, 8 KO’s) for Ramírez’s WBO featherweight world title. Ramírez was making his second title defense and was listed as a heavy favorite.
The event, the title shot, and the talented champion didn’t seem to faze Espinoza at all, and he came out aggressively defeating the champion Ramirez.
However, in the fifth round the champion caught the challenger with a right hook that dropped him hard and sent Ramírez Florida’s faithful into a frenzy. Espinoza was seriously injured but was allowed to continue and was saved by the bell that rang seconds after he stood up.
And he continued, showing the heart of a Mexican fighter fighting his way back into the fight.
Espinoza, exceptionally tall for his weight at 6’1″, used a long jab and movement to frustrate Ramirez while peppering him with hard punches.
Hard work, determination and quick combinations allowed Espinoza to fight back and knock down Ramirez in the twelfth round.
The fight was a back and forth war in which both fighters had their moments. It was a highly aggressive and offensive battle in which the challenger achieved a close MD in 12 rounds with scores of 115-11, 114-112, 113-113.
Early in the fight, ringside commentator Joe Tessitore accurately described Espinoza as “a fighter with a good record but who is somewhat unknown.” But after this fight, he was now world champion and was certainly someone fight fans would keep an eye on after his impressive performance.
Espinoza, who only had 11 amateur fights in Mexico before turning professional, was a non-stop punching machine. He threw 995 punches in the fight and scored a championship victory in a high-action fight.
Takedowns, back and forth action and a big surprise – you can’t ask for much more.
Thank you Robeisy Ramirez and Rafael Espinoza for the “Fight of the Year 2023”.
