Rafael Espinoza vs. Robeisy Ramirez 2 and Emanuel Navarrete vs. Oscar Valdez 2 will square off in a doubleheader on Dec. 7 in Phoenix.
Salvador Rodriguez reports that WBO featherweight champion Rafael Espinoza (25-0, 21 KOs) and two-time Cuban Olympic gold medalist Robeisy Ramirez (14-2, 9 KOs) have agreed to a deal to fight in the co-feature on paper. Headlined by WBO super featherweight champion Emanuel Navarrete (38-2-1, 31 KOs) defending against interim champion Oscar Valdez (32-2, 24 KOs)
Navarrete, 29, defeated Valdez by a 12-round unanimous decision last year on August 12, 2023 in Glendale, Arizona. The scores were wide in favor of Navarrete, with the judges scoring,
– 119-109
– 118-110
– 116-112
Considering how dominant the outcome of the fight was, it’s unclear why Navarrete’s management chose to go in the direction of a rematch with Valdez. A better option would be for Navarrete to try to avenge his recent 12-round split decision loss to Denys Berinchyk on May 18 in San Diego, Calif.
Navarrete moved up to lightweight, hoping to capture the vacant WBO belt, but was outboxed by 2012 Olympian Berinchyk. It was one-sided with Navarrete lacking the skills to win against the highly technical Ukrainian.
Former WBO featherweight champion Robeisy Ramirez lost his title to Rafael Espinoza in a 12-round majority decision on December 9, 2023, in Pembroke Pines, Florida. Robeisy dropped the tall 6’1″ Espinoza with a right hand to the head in the fifth, but was outmatched the rest of the way. In the 12th, Espinoza unleashed a flurry of punches to take down a tired Robeisy.
The scores were:
– 114-112 – Espinoza
– 115-111 – Espinoza
– 113-113
“(Rafael) Espinoza and Robeisy Ramirez have an agreement for a rematch for the Featherweight Championship (WBO). The estimated start date and place was December 7th in Phoenix. We will see if it takes place. Rafael ‘Divino’ Espinoza vs. Robeisy ‘Tren’ Ramírez #DivinoTren2 will be on the coestelar of #NavarreteValdez2 on December 7th in Phoenix,” said Salvador Rodriguez in X.
