By Craig Daly: Featherweight Robeisy Ramirez has ruled out a rematch with Shakur Stevenson following his impressive fifth-round knockout win over Abraham ‘El Super’ Nova last Saturday night at Madison Square Garden in New York.
Ramirez says Shakur is fighting at 130 and appears to soon be on his way to 135. The two are far apart in size, considering Shakur has grown since Robeisy defeated him in the 2016 Olympics.
The two-time Olympic gold medalist Robeisy (10-1, 6 KOs) picked up his tenth consecutive victory with his one-punch knockout of #4 WBO, #12 WBC Abraham (21-1, 15 KOs) in the chief support bout on the Artur Beterbiev vs. Joe Smith Jr. card.
Robeisy came into Saturday’s fight with Nova ranked #12 WBA and #12 WBO, which means he’s not likely to get pushed up far enough in the rankings to get a title shot in his next fight.
When asked after his victory over Nova if he’d be open to challenging WBO 126-lb champion Emanuel Navarrete, Robeisy said he would. Still, it’s up to his promoters at Top Rank and his team which direction he should go.
If not Navarrete, these are the other options for Robeisy to potentially face if he’s to fight for a world title next:
- Josh Warrington – IBF
- Mark Magsayo – WBC
- Leigh Wood – WBA ‘regular’
- Leo Santa Cruz – WBA ‘Super’
It would seem unlikely that Top Rank will choose to put Robeisy in with one of the champions at 126 in his next fight. He might need one more step-up fight before challenging for a world title in 2022 or 2023.
Options for Robeisy’s next fight:
- Joet Gonzalez
- Gary Russell Jr
- Mauricio Lara
- Luis Alberto Lopez
- Isaac Dogboe
- Kid Galahad
- Kiko Martinez
- Rey Vargas
- Michael Conlan
- Raymond Ford
“Yes, we expected to get a knockout. The work we did [in camp] was towards the knockout,” said Robeisy Ramirez to Fighthype when asked if he expected to KO Abraham Nova last Saturday night.
“That was the preparation all along, and we said all along that it wasn’t going to be a fight that was going to go all the way to the tenth round,” Robeisy continued.
“No, I was never hurt or buzzed at any point. I guessed when I got to the point where I planted myself, Nova realized he couldn’t hurt me with his punches; he understood that it wasn’t going to be an easy fight for him.
“I knew I had control of the fight. I think it’s time that people stop talking about that professional debut,” said Robeisy about his four-round split decision defeat in his first fight as a professional against little-known Adan Gonzales in August 2019.
“It was a bad start in the past, but what I think I’ve accomplished in my resume after that fight is a testament. There’s no point in talking about that fight anymore.
“I would fight anyone,” said Robeisy when asked if he could face WBO featherweight champion Emanuel Navarrete next. “It depends on my company, my team and I want to fight the best and keep rolling.
“If he’s there and available, of course, I would fight him,” Ramirez said about Navarrete.
“I wish Shakur [Stevenson] the best; we have a great relationship. I don’t see that fight happening,” said Robeisy when asked if a rematch between him and WBC/WBO super featherweight champion Shakur Stevenson is possible.
“He’s in his weight class [130] right now, and I think he will keep moving up. I wish him nothing but the best. I’m very comfortable at 126; that’s my division. I’m going to clear that division and then see what’s next. It’s not something at the top of my mind right now,” Robeisy said about a rematch with Shakur.
“Definitely undisputed, and clearing the division at 126 is the goal. At the most, 135 in five, six, or seven years, but I’m not banking on it. Obviously, I’m not growing anymore. I’m comfortable with my weight,” said Ramirez.
