By Dan Ambrose: Jose Ramirez says he’s still interested in facing WBC light welterweight champion Regis Prograis next in their WBC-ordered fight, as long as his purse is $1 million minimum.
Ramirez (27-1, 17 KOs) already rejected the fight this week, unhappy with the 65-35 split and wanting a better deal.
Boxing fans are having a difficult time believing Ramirez’s excuse for not taking the fight with Prograis, as they note that he’s belt-less after having lost his WBC/WBO 140-lb titles to Josh Taylor in 2021.
Fans think Ramirez is afraid of fighting Prograis, because he’s viewed by many to be the #1 guy at 140, and there’s a chance he could absorb another defeat.
Obviously, if Ramirez believed he could beat Prograis, it’s difficult to imagine him turning the fight down.
Even if the money isn’t what Ramirez wants in terms of the split against Prograis, he would stand to gain a lot more by winning the WBC belt from him and setting up a lucrative rematch or using the title to get a great deal in a unification match against WBO champ Taylor.
Unless Top Rank is going to let Ramirez fight the winner of the Taylor vs. Jack Catterall rematch in 2023 for Josh’s WBO belt, he may end up having to wait a long time for a title shot.
In the meantime, Top Rank is planning on matching Ramirez against 35-year-old Richard Commey next. It’s unclear how much Top Rank will be paying Ramirez for a fight against Commey, as that’s a poor one and will likely draw poor ratings on ESPN. The former IBF lightweight champion Commey (30-4-1, 27 KOs) has a 1-2-1 recording his last four fights since 2019
“I have minimums with Top Rank,” Jose Ramirez said to SI. “They exceed $1 million. If we can make a deal that reaches $1 million, $1.5 million, I’ll take the fight. But the 35% is too risky. That could mean something like $300,000. It makes no sense.”
“If they make me an offer that exceeds my minimum by $1, I’ll fight,” says Ramirez. “It doesn’t even have to exceed it. Just guarantee me I’ll make what my minimum is, and I’ll fight.”
Teofimo Lopez is next in line for Prograis to fight, and he’s expressed interest in facing him.
“Of course, man!” Teofimo Lopez said to SI when asked if he’d be interested in facing Prograis. “What kind of question is that? I’d like to be a two-time undisputed world champion and the first male boxer to do it in boxing history.”