A look at the best performances of the 20-year-old welterweights young career as he prepares to meet his stiffest test yet, when he faces Javier Molina Saturday, May 1, on FOX Sports PPV.
Jesus Ramos Jr. is Focused on Becoming a World Champion by Age 21
There’s a sagacity in the eyes of Jesus Ramos that belies the age of the 20-year-old southpaw. The baby-faced welterweight carries himself in and out of the ring much older than he looks—or certainly fights.
Ramos (15-0, 14 KOs) has yet another large test ahead in Javier Molina (22-3, 9 KOs), an opponent that is more than a decade older than he is when the two clash in a 10-round welterweight bout Saturday, May 1, on FOX PBC Pay-Per-View (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT) from the Dignity Health Sports Park, in Carson, California.
The Ramos-Molina fight will take place on the undercard of the heavyweight battle between Andy Ruiz, Jr. and Chris Arreola.
Ramos has only gone the distance once and of his 15 victories as only been extended beyond the second round four times. In the time he’s been a pro, he’s proven to be fearless, powerful though most of all patient.
“I’m improving with each fight and I make sure I don’t get carried away where I look for one shot to end it,” Ramos said. “I’m learning and I want to learn more.”
As Ramos arcs upward toward headline status, we’d like to take a look back at five knockouts that have defined his young career.
5 RAMAL AMANOV
Date: February 1, 2020
Location: Beau Rivage Resort & Casino, Biloxi, Miss.
Records at the time: Ramos 11-0 (10 KOs), Amanov 16-1 (5 KOs)
Result: Ramos TKO 6
Significance: Amanov was a rugged veteran and he posed some early problems for Ramos. He knew how to survive in the scheduled eight-rounder. He would smother Ramos each time he neared to lessen the severity of Ramos’ shots. Ramos’ boxing acumen manifested itself in how quickly he noticed Amanov’s tactics. A body attack broke down Amanov.
“If I didn’t notice, that fight would have went the distance,” Ramos recalled. “I began changing things up and working the body a little more. That’s what got him out of there. That fight taught me to be patient, and I was coming off a big knockout, so I thought I would knockout everyone like that. I learned that I couldn’t.”
4 NAIM NELSON
Date: December 26, 2020
Location: Shrine Exposition Center, Los Angeles
Records at the time: Ramos 13-0 (12 KOs), Pulluaim 14-4 (1 KO)
Result: Ramos TKO 4
Significance: Ramos became the first to stop Nelson. Nelson had gone seven rounds with undefeated WBA “regular” junior welterweight titlist Mario Barrios in September 2017, but Nelson could not continue in that fight due to a shoulder injury. Ramos stopped Nelson on his terms.
Ramos used a systemic attack to gradually wear down Nelson. A left knocked Nelson down in the second, and Ramos’ vaunted right hook led to Nelson touching the canvas again in the third. Nelson’s movement prevented Ramos from loading up on big shots, so Ramos hit him where and when he could.
“The fact that Mario Barrios could not stop him was incentive,” Ramos said. “Barrios stopped him, but it came from an injury. I found out in that fight that I could touch a guy and still break them down. To me, they weren’t hard shots, but I noticed I was slowing him down each time I touched him. I found out I might have more power than I thought.”
3 ESTEBAN GARCIA
Date: September 6, 2020
Location: Microsoft Theater, Los Angeles
Records at the time: Ramos 12-0 (11 KOs), Garcia 14-0 (6 KOs)
Result: Ramos TKO 2
Significance: Garcia was 14-0 entering the fight. It was Ramos’ first fight since the COVID-19 pandemic struck the world and he was coming off a seven-month layoff. Adding to his motivation was fighting on the undercard of his uncle, Abel Ramos, who lost to Yordenis Ugas for the vacant WBA welterweight belt that night. Jesus Ramos ended Garcia’s night with a straight left to the chin.
“This was an important fight for me, because Garcia was undefeated,” Ramos said. “From my side, we don’t really talk, but his side was talking in a couple of interviews. They saw this 19-year-old kid in front of them, and they saw a chance. I don’t blame them for thinking that way. They were confident about beating me.
“I trained hard for that fight. I trained from June to September and it showed. I went in there and I stopped him in two rounds. Due to my age, they didn’t give me too much respect, I thought. Their attitude was that they were going to walk over me because of my age. I’ve been in this sport for a long time, and I wasn’t about to let anyone do that to me. I trained too hard for that to happen. That training camp taught me how hard you have to work to win”
2 JESUS EMILIO BOJORQUEZ
Date: February 27, 2021
Location: Shrine Exposition Center, Los Angeles
Records at the time: Ramos 14-0 (13 KOs), Bojorquez 24-2 (12 KOs)
Result: Ramos KO 2
Significance: Bojorquez was another veteran who had an upset on his mind. He had almost double the amount of fights Ramos had. Once again, Ramos had yet another opponent hold his age against him.
“I was motivated to show him that I was not just any kid, I was different than anyone he ever faced before,” Ramos said. “Bojorquez had to go in there with the attitude he could walk through me. Again, I don’t blame him for thinking that way. But here is something I never told anybody about that fight: I was just getting started. This fight proved that I have one-punch power for knockouts. I was working with my jabs to the body, and then switched it up to the right hook. I never sensed he was hurt or tired.”
1 RICKEY EDWARDS
Date: February 21, 2019
Location: Rabobank Theater, Bakersfield, California
Records at the time: Ramos 10-0 (9 KOs), Edwards 12-3 (3 KOs)
Result: Ramos TKO 3
Significance: Ramos was coming off his first decision victory, going four rounds against 3-3 Kevin Shacks three months earlier. Ramos was bothered that the ambience got to him. He was fighting in Las Vegas for the first time, in a large venue, Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino. It was only a four-round fight, but Ramos did not fight the way he wanted nor expected. He let the moment grasp him, instead of grasping the moment.
“It really haunted me the way I fought against Shacks,” Ramos admitted. “It’s why I wanted the toughest opponent out there when we took the Edwards fight. Rickey Edwards had a lot more experience than me, and Rickey Edwards can fight. He was no joke.
“I had to be ready. Just being in there and knocking him out, and being the first to do it, meant something. I didn’t ignore the mistakes I made in the Shacks fight. I blamed myself for how I performed against Shacks, and it bothered me that I let the venue and everything around me affect me. I won’t make that mistake again. This time against Edwards, there were a bunch of Mexican fans, and I ignored everything. It was just me and Rickey Edwards when we were in the ring.”
For a closer look at Jesus Ramos, check out his fighter page.
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- Jesus Alejandro Ramos
