By Mark Eisner: Two-time Olympic gold medalist Robeisy Ramirez (12-1, 7 KOs) took former super bantamweight champion Isaac Dogboe (24-3, 15 KOs) to school, defeating him by one-sided 12 round unanimous decision to capture the vacant WBO featherweight title on Saturday night at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Robeisy, 29, dropped Dogboe in the twelfth round with a cuffing right hand to the head.
The judges scored 117-110, 118-109, and 119-108 win. Boxing News 24 scored it 11-1 for Robeisy. Dogboe was getting pot-shotted by Robeisy all night long, eating left hands to the head and walking into pinpoint counter shots.
This was the most one-sided loss of Dogboe’s career, as even in those two losses to Emanuel Navarrete, he wasn’t dominated like this. against Navarrate, Dogboe got his pound of flesh in losing.
Tonight, he couldn’t do anything with Robeisy, who was on another level, almost like a prime Floyd Mayweather Jr, but with more power.
Undercard results:
- Featherweight contender Joet Gonzalez (26-3, 15 KOs) pounded out a grueling 10 round unanimous decision victory over Jose Enrique Vivas (22-3, 11 KOs). Vivas got the better of Joet in the first two rounds with his high work rate and powerful body shots. However, Vivas faded quickly, allowing Gonzalez to take control of the fight with his harder shots. The judges’ scores were 99-91, 98-92, and 98-92. The right side of Vivas’ face and his nose were badly swollen. Twice in the fight, Vivas lost his mouthpiece. Gonzalez’ right side of his face was reddened and swollen.
- In the fight of the night thus far, junior middleweight prospect Jahi Tucker (10-0, 5 KOs) took some vicious shots in every round but used his beautiful combination punching to outwork Nikoloz Sekhniashvili (8-2, 6 KOs), beating him by an eight round unanimous decision. The scores were 77-74, 77-74, and 77-74. Tucker lost a point for hitting on the break in the fourth.
- Undefeated heavyweight Jeremiah Milton (9-0, 6 KOs) beat journeyman Fabio Maldonado (29-7, 28 KOs) by an eight round unanimous decision. The judges scored it 78-72, 80-70, and 80-70.
- Light welterweight prospect Tiger Johnson (8-0, 5 KOs) had a tougher time than expected, beating journeyman Alfonso Olvera (12-8-3, 4 KOs) by an eight round unanimous decision. The awkward Olvera hurt Johnson in the second round and continued to give him problems throughout. Johnson eventually adapted and used his jab to neutralize the offense of Olvera. The scores were 80-72, 80-72, and 80-72.
- Undefeated light heavyweight prospect Dante Benjamin (6-0, 4 KOs) destroyed Jasper McCargo (4-4-2, 2 KOs) by a second round knockout. Benjamin dropped the 35-year-old McCargo three times in round two and once in round one. The referee pulled the plug on the fight after the third knockdown in round two. The time of the stoppage was at 2:58 of the second round.
- Lightweight prospect Emiliano Vargas (4-0, 3 KOs) stopped Edgar Uvalle (2-4-2, 2 KOs) in the second round of a scheduled four round bout. The time of the stoppage was at 1:21 of round two. The 18-year-old Vargas landed a hook to the body that put Uvalle down on the canvas, where he was then counted out. Moments before the knockout, Vargas had hit Uvalle with a low blow. It’s unclear whether he recovered because the action started immediately after the referee asked Uvalle if he was okay.
Preview: The two-time Cuban Olympic gold medalist Robeisy Ramirez will fight for his first world title after four years in the pro ranks.
If Robeisy’s promoters at Top Rank had moved him to this spot last year, he could have challenged former WBO 126-lb champion Emanuel Navarrete for the belt in what would have been a compelling fight.
It’s understandable why they didn’t make that move because Navarrete and Robeisy likely would have destroyed him with ease. Letting Navarrete walk the plank against Robeisy would be a wrong business move for Top Rank because they would mess up one of their revenue streams.
Dogboe, who twice lost to Navarrete, has the misfortune of facing Robeisy tonight. Top Rank will likely keep Robeisy away from Navarrete and focus on matching them against other opposition in different weight classes.
Robeisy Ramirez vs. Isaac Dogboe start time, how to watch tonight
Tonight’s Robeisy Ramirez vs. Isaac Dogboe card will begin at 7:05 pm ET on ESPN+ from the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
In the chief support bout on tonight’s card, popular featherweight contender Joet Gonzalez (25-3, 15 KOs) will be looking to return to his winning ways after losing his previous fight to Dogboe by a 10-round split decision last July.
Joet, 29, will face Enrique Vivas (22-2, 11 KOs) in a 10-round fight expected to be a war from start to finish. There’s an excellent champion that Joet & Enrique can steal the show from in the Robeisy vs. Dogboe fight if that match-up is a one-sided affair, like most of the talented Cuban’s fight.
“This title opportunity means everything,” said Robeisy Ramirez. “We are ready. I’ve come to fight the best. And now we are here. When I say I’m ready, I’ve passed the process.
“It’s all about the process. Life shows you that things can happen if you don’t pass through the process. So, the opportunity has come at the right moment. I am ready,” said Robeisy.
Robeisy Ramirez (11-1, 7 KOs) and Isaac Dogboe (24-2, 16 KOs) are fighting tonight for the vacant WBO featherweight title, live on ESPN+ at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The event begins at 7:05 ET on ESPN+.