It was officially announced that former unified junior welterweight world champion Jose Ramirez will face former two-weight world champion Jose “Sniper” Pedraza in a 12-round junior welterweight battle February 5 at Save Mart Center in Fresno, California.
In a six-round heavyweight special feature immediately before the main event, Olympic silver medalist Richard Torrez Jr., from nearby Tulare, California, will make his long-awaited professional debut. Torrez is the first American Olympian to medal in the super heavyweight division since Riddick Bowe in 1988. Last month, he signed a long-term professional contract with Top Rank, who have inked all five U.S. Olympians.
The entire Ramirez-Pedraza card will stream live and exclusively in the United States on ESPN+. Undefeated lightweight prospect Raymond “Danger” Muratalla (13-0, 11 KOs), rising junior lightweight Karlos Balderas (11-1, 10 KOs), middleweight prospect Javier “Milwaukee Made” Martinez (5-0, 2 KOs), and 6’9 heavyweight Antonio “El Gigante” Mireles (2-0, 2 KOs) are all slated to appear on the card.
Ramirez – Pedraza is a good fight. Whoever wins probably guarantees themselves an opportunity to fight for a title when Taylor vacates. I don’t think Torrez does too well as a pro, but he did better in the Olympics than I thought he would, so all the best to him.