Rafael Espinoza Robeisy Ramirez
On ESPN, High Rank struggle evening in Pembrooke Pines, Florida, produced an incredible struggle in a 12 months of excellent fights.
Rafael Espinoza (then, 23-0, 20 KO’s) was dealing with off with Cuban, 2-time Olympic Gold Medalist Robeisy Ramírez (then 13-1, 8 KO’s) for Ramirez’s WBO featherweight world title. Ramirez was making his 2nd title protection and was listed as a heavy favourite.
The occasion, the title shot, and the gifted champion didn’t appear to rattle Espinoza in any respect, and he got here out aggressively strolling down champion Ramirez.
Nevertheless, in spherical 5 the champion caught the challenger with a proper hook that dropped him arduous sending the Ramirez Florida devoted right into a frenzy. Espinoza was badly harm however allowed to proceed and was saved by the bell that rang seconds after he rose.
And proceed he did, exhibiting the guts of a Mexican fighter grinding his manner again into the struggle.
Espinoza, exceptionally tall for the burden at 6’1”, used an extended jab and motion to frustrate Ramirez whereas peppering him with arduous photographs.
Laborious work, grit, and quick combos allowed Espinoza to battle again and drop Ramirez within the twelfth spherical.
The struggle was a back-and-forth warfare that noticed each fighters have their moments. It was a extremely aggressive, offensive-heavy battle that noticed the challenger hammer out an in depth MD over 12 rounds by scores of 115-11, 114-112, 113-113.
Earlier within the struggle, ringside commentator Joe Tessitore precisely described Espinoza as “a fighter with a very good document however who’s considerably unknown”. However after this struggle, he was now a world champion and was definitely somebody struggle followers could be keeping track of after his spectacular efficiency.
Espinoza, who solely had 11 newbie fights in Mexico earlier than going professional, was a continuous punching machine. He threw 995 punches within the bout and pulled off a championship win in an incredible motion struggle.
Knockdowns, back-and-forth motion, and an enormous upset – you possibly can’t ask for lots extra.
Thanks Robeisy Ramirez and Rafael Espinoza for the “2023 Combat of the 12 months.”
