By Dan Ambrose: Eddie Hearn has made an offer to Top Rank for Jose Ramirez to headline against unbeaten British welterweight Conor Benn at the O2 Arena in London, England, on July 9th.
The former WBC/WBO light-welterweight champion Ramirez (27-1, 17 KOs) has the worldwide name recognization that Hearn is searching for to get the unbeaten 25-year-old Conor Benn (21-0, 14 KOs) noticed by fans.
It’ll be interesting to see if Top Rank allows their popular fighter Ramirez to fight Conor Benn in the UK. It’s a move that doesn’t make sense for Top Rank because Ramirez isn’t a second-tier guy that you let a rival promoter use to make his fighter look good.
Although the 2012 U.S Olympic Ramirez has fought his entire career at 140, he’s planning on moving up to 147. Benn would obviously have the size advantage against Ramirez.
Ideally, you’d like to see Benn fighting someone that he doesn’t have some kind of advantage over, as he’s fought a lot of old lions during his short career.
Boxing fans want to see Hearn match Benn against David Avanesyan or Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis to see if the hype is for real.
“We’ve made an offer to Top Rank,” said Eddie Hearn to iFL TV about his hopes to put together a fight between Jose Ramirez and Conor Benn on July 9th. “It’s a fight that I like.
Taking on #3 WBO Benn would be a fast way for Ramirez to get ranked highly in the welterweight division if he beats him. It won’t be easy, especially if he has to do it on foreign soil in London.
Benn, the son of famous British fighter Nigel Benn, alreaded dodged what many boxing fans saw as a clear loss in his fight with Cedrick Peynaud in 2017.
Ramirez will have 12 rounds to make sure he doesn’t wind up losing a controversial decision like Peynaud.
“Conor wants to fight Keith Thurman, which I think is a very, very [tough opponent]. I’d like to have one more before he fights Keith Thurman. I’m just being straight up, but he’s ready to go.
“Obviously, he was disappointed Kell Brook chose to retire. Mikey Garcia, Maurice Hooker,” said Hearn about other options for Benn’s July 9th fight.
“Jose Ramirez is the one that I would love to get [for Conor]. The money that DAZN would pay for a Ramirez fight and the money they’d pay for an Avanesyan fight.
“If I can get Jose Ramirez over an Avanesyan, no disrespect, we have to do that. If we can’t get a big name, we would consider Avanesyan. Benn-Avanesyan, does that sell out the O2?
“Not a lot of people know who Avanesyan is. He’s a great fighter, but I would like a big name that resonates worldwide.
“If I can get Jose Ramirez for Conor Benn, I’m sure anyone with a brain would understand that’s a bigger, better fight for the global profile of Conor Benn,” said Hearn.
