Cuba’s Robeisy Ramírez returns from his second defeat, in December by Rafael Espinoza when he was defending his WBO featherweight title, when on Saturday he fights Espinoza’s fellow Mexican Brandon Leon Benitez at the James L. Knight Center in Miami Beach.
Ahead of another significant test, the 30 year old spoke to BoxingScene.
*
Q: You last fought in December, when you lost to Rafael Espinoza, and when an immediate rematch looked likely…
The break was necessary. My training camp was very rough, physically and mentally, so it was necessary for me to take a break, but thanks to God, we’re back.
I spent time with my family; time with my wife; time with my daughters, and stayed home [in Miami]. It was necessary to take a break and spend time with my family, to be ready for what’s next.
I tend to take real breaks between fights. When I’m not in training camp I’m not really thinking about boxing. I just focus on day-to-day things. Once I’m back in camp, that’s when I focus on boxing again.
Q: How do you reflect on that defeat?
It was definitely a learning experience. I learned from that fight that when you don’t do things the right way, you don’t get the result you’re looking for, you know? That’s why, for this fight, we focused on being mentally and physically ready, because when you don’t have any of those, the boxing or skills don’t come out in the fight, and that’s basically what happened.
I wasn’t really focused on the fight, and I wasn’t centred on what I had to do. During my training camp, preparing for the fight, I was going through a tough time personally, and also with family, so I didn’t have my mind centred on the fight. Also, having issues with my family, and not having support from my family, didn’t let the training camp develop the way I wanted it to.
Q: What were the personal issues you refer to?
It’s not really a secret. My father was sick, leading up to my fight in December, and for political reasons I couldn’t go see him or help him in Cuba, so my mind wasn’t really focused on the fight, and I was just thinking the worst and maybe that he was going to pass or [I] wasn’t going to be able to see him one last time, so that weighed heavy on me leading up to the fight, and that’s why I wasn’t myself.
Thanks to God, everything is well right now. We made the effort – the situation is not great, and we made the effort to send to Cuba the medication and everything that he needed. My wife was able to get into the country; was able to travel and take all the medications to him, and thanks to God he’s doing well right now.
Q: Your trainer, Ismael Salas, rebuilt the career of Jorge Linares after defeats suffered by Linares. Is that something you have spoken about?
We didn’t really discuss anything about the example from Jorge Linares. I know his career, but I try to focus mostly on the day to day; what happened is in the past; now I’m focused on what’s going to happen in this fight.
I have a great relationship with Salas. We discuss various topics, not only sports. We discuss different topics, and I’m really happy that I have him with me, because he’s not only a good trainer, he’s also a good person, and he treats his fighters like his sons.
Q: Most were expecting an immediate rematch with Espinoza…
That’s what he said in the ring. We accepted his word for it. I understand that he has a team behind him that might tell him otherwise, but we were expecting the rematch – the immediate rematch – because that’s what he said in the ring.
I suppose what happened was that his team advised him to do other fights before. At the end of the day it’s a business, and I suppose that his team advised him that way. Of course I want the rematch – I’m looking to fight the best, and whatever happens in this fight, he has a title. I’m coming for him.
It’s not really frustration. That’s part of the destiny. It was the way it was meant to happen. So I don’t really feel frustrated or pay attention to that. Let’s see what happens in this fight – we’re gonna have a rematch. I don’t want to get too ahead of myself. I don’t want to think of what’s going to happen at the end of the year when the year’s just beginning for me.
Q: Espinoza has most recently been spoken of as a potential opponent for Naoya Inoue…
Me and Naoya would be a great fight. I would be a tougher opponent for him. Espinoza is a Mexican fighter – you know how Mexican fighters fight. They come to go toe-to-toe; they come ready for a war. Against a fighter like Inoue it’s going to be a tough fight for him. I believe that me and Naoya, being technicians with power – that would propose a better fight.
He’s a Mexican fighter, so I know what he’s coming to do. He’s coming to get in a war. I’m not really focused on what he does well. I focus on what he doesn’t do well, and that’s what I’ve based my strategy on.
Q: What have your promoters, Top Rank, told you is next for you?
Right now I don’t have an idea of their plans. As I said before, I like to take things day by day, and right now I’m focused only on what’s in front of me, and then we’ll think about what’s next after this fight. If it’s the rematch, it’s the rematch. If it’s one of the other champions, then so be it. But right now I’m just focused on looking great on June 29.
Read the full article here
