Jose Ramirez believes his move to 147 will benefit him against Devin Haney on May 2.
Jose Ramirez and Devin Haney will both be moving to the welterweight division when the two meet on May 2 in New York, and are both looking to bounce back from defeat in the new weight class.
Ramirez (29-2, 18 KO) says he stayed at 140 lbs longer than he should have, which contributed to a poor outing against Arnold Barboza Jr last November in Riyadh.
“I stayed at 140 for too long. Once I saw myself struggling to make weight and pushing my body through that pain and grind — I think I was harming myself,” he said. “But I’m a guy with no excuses. I’m a guy who never says no, and I did that to myself. But that’s a mistake on my part, and it’s time for me to move up to 147.
“I know what I can do, what I’ve been doing in sparring against world champions, guys who are talked about as future world champions. I know what I’ve done to them in sparring. I know what I’m capable of, and I’m gonna go out there and make it a fight, man. Show the best version of Jose Ramirez, a bigger bull than people have seen in the last couple fights.”
Ramirez says he’s not focused on what Haney (31-0, 15 KO) brings to the table, only on what he does in the ring.
“I’ve never been too worried about my opposition, I focus on myself,” he said. “I became the best (amateur) boxer at lightweight in the Americas, became an Olympian by beating guys with different styles, different sizes, different skills. I think people underestimate my speed and power. I’m ready to put it together. If you thought I was strong at 140, just watch me at 147.”
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