Jose Ramirez is a potential tune-up opponent for Devin Haney, who will fight in May on the same card as Ryan Garcia in Times Square.
Lance Pugmire says Haney (31-0, 15 KOs) doesn’t want to take a soft touch for his tuneup to prepare him for his October rematch with Ryan Garcia. The fight with Jose Ramirez would be at 147, making it easier for Haney, with him rehydrating potentially to 165.
Courageous of Crazy?
Fighting Ramirez would be one way for the former two-division world champion Haney to show that he’s at least courageous, but this could end badly for him.
The former WBC and WBO light welterweight champion Jose Ramirez (29-2, 18 KOs) is one of the options under consideration for Haney. That would earn Devin a lot of respect if he faced the 2012 U.S. Olympian Ramirez, as he’s still fighting on a high level.
At 32, Ramirez isn’t quite as sharp as he once was when he held titles at 140. He’s coming off a 10-round unanimous decision loss to Arnold Barboza Jr. in a close fight on November 16th on Latino Night in Riyadh. Ramirez came close to winning that fight. If not for Barboza’s powerful jab and movement, Ramirez would have won.
If Haney were to take on Ramirez, that would be pretty bold. Ramirez has slowed down to the Regis Prograis level, but he’s skilled and has enough power to take advantage of Haney’s weak chin. Ramirez can take advantage of any lingering issues with Haney from the three knockdowns he suffered in his loss to Ryan.
Fans see Ramirez as being washed up, but I disagree. Before his narrow loss to Barboza, Ramirez hadn’t been beaten in three years since losing a close 12-round decision to a prime Josh Taylor in 2021.
That’s the last time Taylor looked good, as Ramirez took a lot out of him, leaving the shell that has struggled ever since. Can Ramirez do the same to Haney? I wouldn’t be surprised at all.
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