Previa: El doble oro olímpico Robeisy Ramírez busca su primer mundial profesional ante Isaac Dogboe
Daniel Pi
@BastionBoxeo
Desde que Vasiliy Lomachenko afrontó un rapidísimo avance profesional después de su extraordinaria carrera amateur, han sido muchísimos los boxeadores de destacado recorrido en el campo aficionado que se han precipitado desmedidamente en su elección de retos en el boxeo de pago. Sin embargo, el doble oro olímpico cubano Robeisy Ramírez 11(7KO)-1 no fue uno de ellos, sino que se estrelló en su debut profesional con una mala actuación ante un Adan Gonzales que era simplemente un oponente a medida.
Este tropiezo fue sucedido por un desarrollo de Ramírez calmado pero constante (en el que se incluyó un triunfo en revancha sobre el propio Gonzales) que aceleró hasta alcanzar un nivel altísimo en sus últimas cuatro peleas: controló a Orlando González y truncó su récord invicto, vapuleó a Eric Donovan, destruyó al invicto prospecto clasificado mundial Abraham Nova y se convirtió en el primero en derrotar antes del límite a José Matías Romero (que perdió controvertidamente contra Isaac Cruz).
Así, habiendo mejorado de manera importante en su control de los espacios y en su gestión táctica, pero sobre todo habiendo dado un descomunal salto (casi increíble) en aumento de potencia, Ramírez ha dejado muy atrás su primera derrota y entra este sábado al primer mundial profesional de su carrera. Y es que sumándose a su decisivo triunfo ante Nova el hecho de que la WBO y Top Rank tienen una relación absolutamente idílica (al igual que Frank Warren), Ramírez quedó clasificado como 2º del peso pluma por detrás de su compañero de escuadra Isaac “Royal Storm” Dogboe 24(15KO)-2(1) cuando otro púgil de la compañía como Emanuel Navarrete dejó vacante su cinturón.
Respecto a Dogboe, éste tuvo un avance sin pausas hasta llegar a coronarse campeón del peso supergallo noqueando al entonces invicto Jesse Magdaleno, pero sus dos derrotas ante Navarrete fueron un severo varapalo moral y físico. Tras ellas, el británico-ghanés, que ya era bajito para el peso supergallo, ascendió al peso pluma, teniendo problemas en sus tres peleas destacadas: a duras penas logró cuestionables triunfos por la mínima ante Adam López, “Pitufo” Díaz y Joet González.
Dicho esto, situándose frente a frente un Ramírez con una carrera amateur enteramente superior, zurdo, en su mejor momento, con una pegada aumentada drásticamente y con ventaja en altura y alcance, todo parece estar en contra de Dogboe, que parte muy por detrás en las apuestas.
Si “Royal Storm” optase por intentar crear una pelea física en la que buscar compensar su falta de altura, y aprovechar su fuerza, con explosivos hooks en corta y media-corta, quizás podría dar trabajo a un Ramírez que suele basar su boxeo en el dominio desde la distancia larga y media-larga. No obstante, es difícil que vaya a poder acortar los espacios de forma consistente y, aunque lo lograse, sus problemas de resistencia al cansancio seguramente le costarían caros. Por ello, siendo probable que el desarrollo termine siendo táctico y con espacios, todo parece indiciar que la precisión, astucia y contundencia de Ramírez harán pasar un mal rato a Dogboe antes de derrotarle, especialmente si este último duda en su despliegue.
Antes de este enfrentamiento, el estelar de una velada desde el Hard Rock Hotel & Casino de Tulsa, Estados Unidos, el dos veces retador mundial estadounidense Joet González 25(15KO)-3, 4º WBC y 9º WBA y WBO, intentará rebotar de su derrota ante Dogboe enfrentándose en el peso pluma al mexicano Enrique “El Ejecutor” Vivas 22(11KO)-2, pareciendo este un combate potencialmente entretenido.
La cartelera completa del Ramírez-Dogboe será emitida en Estados Unidos por ESPN+ desde las 19:00 ET/16:00 PT, la 1:00 de la madrugada en hora española.
Preview: Two-time Olympic gold medalist Robeisy Ramírez seeks his first professional world title against Isaac Dogboe
Daniel Pi
@BastionBoxing
Since Vasiliy Lomachenko faced a very fast pace as a professional after his extraordinary amateur career, there have been too many boxers with remarkable amateur experience who have been inordinately hasty in their choice of challenges in prizefighting. However, Cuban two-time Olympic gold medalist Robeisy Ramírez 11(7KO)-1 was not one of them, as he failed in his professional debut with a poor performance against Adan Gonzales, who was simply a tailor-made opponent.
This setback was succeeded by a calm but steady development from Ramírez (including a rematch win over Gonzales), which accelerated to a really high level in his last four fights: he controlled Orlando González and cut short his undefeated record, he pummeled Eric Donovan, destroyed undefeated world-ranked prospect Abraham Nova and became the first boxer to knock out José Matías Romero (who controversially lost to Isaac Cruz).
Thus, having significantly improved his control of distance and his tactical management, and above all, having experienced a huge (almost unbelievable) increase in power, Ramírez has left his first defeat far behind and this Saturday he will face the first professional world championship of his career. Adding to his decisive victory over Nova the fact that the WBO and Top Rank have an absolutely idyllic relationship (just like Frank Warren), Ramírez was ranked as number 2 in the featherweight division behind his squadmate Isaac «Royal Storm” Dogboe 24(15KO)-2(1) when another fighter of said company like Emanuel Navarrete vacated his belt.
Regarding Dogboe, he advanced as a professional without difficulties until he was crowned super bantamweight champion by knocking out the then undefeated Jesse Magdaleno, but his two losses against Navarrete were a severe mental and physical setback. After them, the British-Ghanaian, who was already short for super bantamweight, moved up to featherweight, struggling in all three of his notable fights: he barely managed to obtain questionable and narrow wins against Adam Lopez, «Pitufo» Diaz and Joet Gonzalez.
That said, squaring off against a fighter like Ramírez, a southpaw in his prime with a very superior amateur career, with a drastically increased punching power and an advantage in height and reach, Dogboe is in a very difficult position and he is a clear underdog.
If «Royal Storm» tries to create a physical fight in which seek to compensate for his lack of height, and takes advantage of his strength, with explosive hooks at short and medium-short range, perhaps he could give work to Ramírez, who usually bases his boxing on establishing dominance from long and medium-long distance. However, it will be complicated for him to be able to close the spaces consistently and, even if he succeeded in this objective, his stamina issues would surely cost him dearly. Therefore, since it is likely that the fight will end up being tactical and with distance, everything seems to indicate that Ramírez’s precision, cunning and punch will make Dogboe have a hard time and lose, especially if the latter hesitates in his offensive deployment.
Before this bout, the main event of a bill from the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Tulsa, United States, two-time world title challenger Joet González 25(15KO)-3, WBC number 4 and WBA and WBO number 9, will try to bounce back from his loss to Dogboe clashing against Mexican Enrique “El Ejecutor” Vivas 22(11KO)-2 in a potentially entertaining fight.
The full Ramírez-Dogboe card will be broadcast in the United States on ESPN+ starting at 7:00 p.m. ET/4:00 p.m. PT, while in the UK the evenning will be aired by Sky Sports Action from 1:00 a.m.