Jesus Ramos Jnr ‘can’t leave it to the judges’ after close loss to Lubin

Jesus Ramos Jnr learned a hard lesson from his controversial 2023 loss to Erickson Lubin: in an even remotely close fight, leaving the result in the hands of the judges can backfire. 

That lesson will drive the 23-year-old Ramos from Casa Grande, Arizona, as he faces former junior middleweight titleholder Jeison Rosario on February 1. The bout is set for the undercard of the pay-per-view David Benavidez-David Morrell show at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

The fight marks Ramos’ second outing since the Lubin defeat. Ramos, with a record of 21-1 (17 KOs), rebounded earlier this year with a ninth-round stoppage of Johan Gonzalez on the Saul “Canelo” Alvarez-Jaime Munguia card but admits the loss to Lubin still lingers.

“I’ve learned my lesson about leaving things up to the judges, I can’t do that anymore,” Ramos said during a press conference. “I’m coming to knock him out.”

Rosario, 29, from the Dominican Republic, stands in his way. With a record of 24-4-2 (18 KOs), Rosario is a battle-tested veteran who has accomplished something Ramos has yet to achieve — winning a title. In his most recent outing, Rosario fought Jarrett Hurd to a draw in August on ProBox TV. He understands the stakes, as does Ramos.

“His back’s against the wall,” Ramos said. “This fight could define his career, whether people forget who Rosario was or he catapults his name back into the mix. So, I’m expecting a dangerous Rosario, and I’m preparing for the best version of him on February 1.”

Ramos sees the fight as a chance to prove he belongs among the elite at 154lbs. For him, there’s no room for doubt — or the judges’ scorecards. 

“He’s been a champion, and he knows what it feels like to be a champion,” Ramos said. “I want that feeling. I’m grateful to be back against a tough veteran opponent and excited to put on a good show.”