Rico Ramos Vs. Ronnie Rios Will Be Apart of Showtime’s Free Preview Weekend

0
1223

 As part of a Free Preview Weekend on SHOWTIME® that begins this FridayJan. 11, and runs through Sunday,Jan. 13, over 80 million households will be able to watch the fighters who will compete on a ShoBox: The New Generation doubleheader Friday live on SHOWTIME (11:15 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast).

 

Three of the boxers on the Jan. 11 ShoBox twin bill at Fantasy Springs Casino Resort in Indio , Calif. , are undefeated.  The other has one loss.  Combined, they are 59-1-1, but for all their success, you can’t beat the kind of exposure they’ll get during a Free Weekend Preview that offers the opportunity to sample the premium network’s award-winning programming on
SHOWTIME, SHOWTIME HD, SHOWTIME On Demand® and SHOWTIME ANYTIME®.

 

“A great example of what TV exposure can do for a young fighter is Austin Trout,” ShoBox analyst Steve Farhood said.  “He was a world champion who was virtually unknown to even hardcore fight fans, but then he fought on ShoBox (Frank LaPorto), and then shortly thereafter onSHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING (Delvin Rodriguez).  That landed him a fight with Miguel Cotto at Madison Square Garden on SHOWTIME.  He won that and now everyone knows who he is.

 

“Friday is a huge opportunity for the four ShoBox fighters, who have never approached this level number of available viewers.  When you deliver in a situation like this it almost guarantees that promoters and the TV networks will bring you back because the public wants to see you again.”

 

In the 10-round main event, always-exciting Ronny Rios (19-0, 9 KO’s), of Santa AnaCalif., puts his unbeaten record on the line when he faces former WBA Super Bantamweight World Champion Rico Ramos (21-1, 11 KO’s), of Los Angeles , for the vacant NABF Featherweight Championship.

 

In a clash of unbeaten junior middleweights, Daquan Arnett (9-0, 6 KO’s), of OrlandoFla., takes on Brandon Quarles (10-0-1, 2 KO’s) ofAlexandriaVa., in the 8-round co-feature.

 

One of Southern California’s most popular fighters, undefeated NABO Bantamweight Champion Randy “El Matador” Caballero (17-0, 9 KO’s), of Coachella, will make his 11th appearance at Fantasy Springs when he meets an opponent to be announced in the top non-televised fight.

 

Tickets priced at $25, $35 and $45 are available at the Fantasy Springs Box Office, by calling (800) 827-2946 or online atwww.fantasyspringsresort.com.  Doors open at 6:00 p.m. PT and the first fight begins at 6:30 p.m.  The event is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona.

 

Farhood says the first ShoBox event of the year is atypical of the critically acclaimed series, which has been a hit since its inception in July 2001.

 

“The main event is another classic ShoBox fight with an unbeaten prospect moving up in class against a former world champion,” Farhood said.  “It is an age-old tradition, but in this case Ramos is a younger former world champion and presumably has a lot of fight left in him.

 

“It’s also crossroads fight because Rios needs to prove he can become a contender and Ramos needs to prove he’s still a top-10 fighter.  This is a fascinating style matchup with Rios being the pressure fighter and Ramos the boxer-puncher.

 

“What’s interesting about the co-feature is that we have Arnett coming off a fight in which he was dropped and almost stopped getting right back in with his second consecutive unbeaten opponent.  It’s time for Arnett to show he’s a legitimate prospect.”

 

The 5-foot-6 ½ Rios, a former amateur standout who turns 23 on Jan. 22, is making his ShoBox debut.  A stable mate of WBC World Champions Abner Mares (super bantamweight) and Daniel Ponce de Leon (featherweight), the crowd-pleasing four-year pro is taking a significant leap in class after being steadily stepped up in recent fights and giving solid performances.

 

“I’ve been training really hard, and we really want to take advantage of this opportunity that’s been presented to us,” said the offensive-minded Rios, who’s facing by far his toughest opponent on paper to date.  “I’m looking forward to a good fight.”

 

The rising Rios is a gym rat who enjoys reading mystery novels in his spare time.  A boxer-puncher with solid speed and movement, he’s campaigned at featherweight and junior lightweight the last few years.  He made his 10-round debut in his last start, scoring an impressive ninth-round knockout over game veteran David Rodela in a thrilling all-action junior lightweight slugfest on July 28 at Fantasy Springs.

 

Ramos, 25, is a ShoBox alum and former amateur standout who captured the WBA 122-pound
world title in his 20th pro fight with a spectacular, come-from-behind, one-punch, seventh-round knockout over Akifumi Shimoda on July 9, 2011. 

 

The 5-foot-5 Ramos, currently ranked No. 7 in the IBF, No. 8 in the WBA and No. 23 in the WBC at 122 lbs., is seeking his second consecutive victory since losing the WBA crown in his first defense to unbeaten Guillermo Rigondeaux on Jan. 12, 2012.  In his lone fight since, Ramos finished much the strongest to win an 8-round majority decision in a spirited encounter over previously undefeated Efrian Equiovoas last June 23 by the tallies of 78-74 twice and 76-76.

 

While his opponent’s weight fluctuates slightly from fight to fight, Ramos has been fighting at or around 122 pounds since going pro in March 2008.  However, this move north in weight isn’t necessarily a permanent one.

 

“I just want to see how I feel at 126 because I know I’m strong at 122. We’re going to see where it takes us right now,” said the more experienced Ramos, a natural counterpuncher who possesses good natural athletic ability, skills, speed and movement.  “I can still make 122, but I just want to see where the opportunities are.  This isn’t a permanent move up in weight.’’

 

Reunited with trainer Charles “Chili” Wilson and re-energized after some time off, Ramos is primed for a top effort.  “I’ve been working on a lot of stuff: throwing more punches, not tensing up too much, throwing more combinations with a lot of movement and not standing straight up,” he said.  “I’m ready for all fighters from 122 to 126.  I’ll be back on top.  I’m happy to be back.”

 

Arnett will be making his eight-round debut and first official start on ShoBox although highlights of his last fight on Nov. 9 (a fourth-round KO overJeremiah Wiggins) were shown during the ShoBox telecast.  He also fought on SHOWTIME EXTREME, winning a six-round decision over Jesus Tavera last Sept. 8.

 

An accomplished amateur and 2009 Junior Olympic national champion, the talented, aggressive-minded 5-foot-10, 20-year-old Arnett has kept busy since turning pro on Dec. 1, 2011.  He had eight fights in 2012, winning six by knockout.  He’s gone into the fourth round four times and six full rounds once.

 

Arnett’s last fight was his roughest as he had to rebound from a knockdown to stop Wiggins.  Arnett had dominated the first two rounds, but got nailed by a hard right hand by Wiggins during an exchange in the third.  Visibly hurt, Arnett held on and got through the round.  In the fourth, Arnett knocked Wiggins through the ropes from a barrage of punches and the referee stepped in and stopped it at 1:59.

 

One of three children, Arnett hails from a family of fighters. “My younger brother is a top amateur, my sister, who got into the sport pretty much for self-defense, knows more about boxing than a lot of people I know,” Arnett said.  “My dad was a boxer, all of my cousins competed in the amateurs and my uncle was a Golden Gloves champion.  Boxing’s my life.  My dad literally introduced us to boxing when we were one and two years old – from the time we were able to walk.”

 

Quarles is a 5-foot-10, 26-year-old who is managed and trained by George Peterson, the career-long manager and trainer of former Two-Time WBO Welterweight World Champion Paul Williams.

 

A pro since July 2010, Quarles is coming off of a six-round draw in his last start on Oct. 27 against John Mackey.  Quarles, who was decked in the first, registered a knockdown in the final 10 seconds to get the draw.  Two judges had it 56-apiece; the other scored it for Mackey, 57-55.

 

“I’ve seen Arnett fight a few times and I’ve seen him hurt a few times, too,” said Quarles, a boxer with good speed and movement who was one of Williams’ top sparring partners.  “My friend Jeremiah Wiggins just fought him.  He told me, ‘just don’t wait on him.  Take it to him as soon as the bell rings.’

 

“I’m just ready to fight.  I’m ready to put on a show.  It’s what it is – go for broke.”

SHARE
Previous articleWilfredo Vazquez Jr Feels He Can Do Much Better In A Donaire Rematch
Next articleQ&A With Mike Dallas Jr. On His Chances of Upsetting Lucas Matthyssse
The team at Thaboxingvoice.com set out with a mission to create an online environment focused on boxing that voiced the opinions, concerns, and attitudes of you, the people. Doing our best to bring you the answers you want to know, and getting the exclusives that those other guys cant. We are always working hard to get the inside scoop inside and outside of the ring. If it’s happening in Boxing, we will tell you about it! You can find us at the fights all over the place with our nationwide team of correspondents, and wide reach around the globe we have the tools and the team to bring you coverage from all the fights. Whether it is in a gym in Jersey or on the floor at MGM Grand. No fight to big or small for Tha Boxing Voice. Our experienced team combined has over 50+ years of boxing experience to bring to the table. Some of us growing up ringside, some of us growing up in the ring, no matter the situation we are all true boxing fans first and reporters second. This can be found evident on our twice-weekly podcast. We work hard to bring you interviews that answer your questions and guest who will spark your interest from all areas of the boxing world. Writers, Trainers, Promoters and the most relevant fighters before and after some of their biggest fights. We are working 24/7 to get the information to you, the listeners. We work to form a personal relationship with our listeners and our guests making our show more intimate and giving a raw, uncut and real aspect that you will be hard pressed to find elsewhere. We are Tha Boxing Voice, The Voice of you, The People. Follow @boxingvoiceshow