Rafael Espinoza walked away with the win on December 7 when he faced Robeisy Ramirez in a rematch at Footprint Center in Phoenix, AZ. The contest served as the co-feature on the ESPN-televised card topped by Emanuel Navarrete vs Oscar Valdez 2.
The pair squared off for the second time following their first fight a year ago when Mexico’s Espinoza dethroned Ramirez from Cuba by majority decision, becoming the new WBO featherweight champion. The scheduled 12-round rematch ended halfway through.
At 12 seconds into the sixth round, Ramirez was tagged by Espinoza’s right hand. Straight after that, the 30-year-old southpaw turned around and started walking away. Referee Chris Flores jumped in and immediately waved the fight off.
In his post-fight interview, Robeisy Ramirez (14-3, 9 KOs) said he got injured in the fourth round from elbows and started having double vision. The former champion added that he was happy with his decision, prioritizing his health.
Rafael Espinoza (26-0, 22 KOs) made the second successful defense of his belt. The 30-year-old champion said it was the power of his right hand that caused the damage.
“He got me with his elbow twice in the fourth round,” Ramirez said. “That’s when I started to see double. I told the referee. He did his job. He scolded him, but the damage had been done already.”
“I think [abandoning the fight] was the best decision. I did that instead of taking more punches, especially since I have double vision, and I couldn’t be at my best. That’s the best decision in order to take care of my health. If I can’t continue because of my vision, it’s better to stop.”
“I was just doing my job. Obviously, I caught him,” Espinoza said. “I was barely getting started. Honestly, I think the pressure and the rest of the rounds were going to be very difficult for him. This means that he felt my power. He felt my hand. Perhaps he thought that he wouldn’t be able to handle it. But it happened. I won.”
“I’ve said it from the start. I want to be a legend. I want to be a Mexican boxing great. I want to fight against anyone. I want the people to know that I’m here to give them great fights.”
Going into the sixth round, Ramirez was leading on two of the judges’ scorecards at 48-47, while the third judge had 49-46 for Espinoza.