José Ramírez to Auction Fight-Worn Gloves and 1/1 Poster for Cancer Research

By Boxing News - 05/22/2021 - Comments

Fighting for a Cause: José Ramírez to Auction Fight-Worn Gloves and 1/1 Poster for Cancer Research

The V Foundation and The Bautista Foundation will split the proceeds Ramírez will battle Josh Taylor for the undisputed junior welterweight world title, LIVE Saturday on ESPN, ESPN Deportes & ESPN+ (8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT)

LAS VEGAS (May 21, 2021) — WBC/WBO junior welterweight world champion José Ramírez is set to fight WBA/IBF champion Josh Taylor this Saturday at The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas (ESPN, ESPN Deportes & ESPN+, 8 p.m. ET), a history-making bout that will crown an undisputed champion.

After the final bell, two one-of-a-kind fight artifacts — a 1/1 poster signed by Ramírez, Taylor and Top Rank chairman Bob Arum, and Ramírez’s fight-worn Cleto Reyes gloves — will be auctioned off by Goldin Auctions. The proceeds will be shared with a pair of charities supported by Ramírez: The V Foundation for Cancer Research and The Bautista Foundation, which funds community, education and health programs in California’s Central Valley, where Ramírez was born and still resides.

Ramírez (26-0, 17 KOs), a 2012 U.S. Olympian, has long used his fights as a platform to raise awareness and funds for myriad nonprofits.

Ramírez said, “The fight against Taylor is a big one, but I am especially proud to fight for the V Foundation and The Bautista Foundation, two charities that do such vital, life-changing work. Get those bids up, donate to a worthy cause, and be sure to watch my fight against Josh Taylor on Saturday.”

Stephen Foster, the founder of Fresno Coin, fired the first haymaker of fight week when he opened the bidding at $7,500.

Foster said, “José is a leader in our community and stands for so many great things, and we at Fresno Coin stand with him in the fight against cancer.”

Jose Ramirez: I’ve always been the underdog

The countdown is on, and WBC/WBO junior welterweight world champion Jose Ramirez is 12 days away from a legacy-defining undisputed showdown against Josh Taylor, Scotland’s IBF/WBA/Ring Magazine kingpin.

It’s business as usual for Ramirez, the 2012 U.S. Olympian from California’s Central Valley who hopes to become the first four-belt undisputed champion of Mexican descent. He’s spent the better part of two months training in Riverside, California, with Robert Garcia, who has guided his career inside the ring since after his March 2018 title-winning effort over Amir Imam.

With fight week seven days away, Ramirez (26-0, 17 KOs) is the prohibitive underdog for the first time in his professional career, as Taylor (17-0, 13 KOs) is a more than 2-to-1 favorite at most sportsbooks. Ramirez is aware of public perception, but it doesn’t faze him as he enters the sixth world title fight of his career. Taylor earned the prestigious Ring Magazine belt with his October 2019 decision over Regis Prograis, but on May 22, the sport’s loftiest prize will be on the line.

As training camp winds down, this is what Ramirez had to say:

“I’ve always been the underdog. That’s my mentality. I am fighting for my place in boxing history. No boxer of Mexican descent has ever held all four world title belts. I’m aware that most people are picking against me, but that only fuels me further.”

“In my mind, I’m supposed to win this fight. I don’t let the outside noise get to me. No matter what you do, or who you beat, there’s always going to be somebody else out there. At this moment, that person is Josh Taylor.”

“We both wanted the fight, and I respect him for taking on the challenge. Josh and I are out to make history, and I know I will be the better man on May 22.”

“The odds are what they are, but the best junior welterweight, the undisputed champion, will be crowned May 22.”

About Ramirez vs. Taylor

Promoted by Top Rank, Ramirez vs. Taylor is a 12-round showdown for the undisputed junior welterweight world championship, which will take place Saturday, May 22 at The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas. The event will be broadcast live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes (and simulcast on ESPN+) at 8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT

The telecast will also feature a 10-round junior welterweight battle between Jose “Chon” Zepeda and “Hammerin” Hank Lundy, in addition to an eight-round junior welterweight tilt between knockout artist Elvis “The Dominican Kid” Rodriguez and Kenneth “Bossman” Sims Jr.