Jose Ramirez Sneaks By Viktor Postol To Keep His Belts!
There are currently two unified junior welterweight champions looking to come together to crown the next undisputed champ in the division since WBO welterweight champion Terence Crawford. WBO/WBC champ Jose “Jaguar” Ramirez (25-0, 17KO) and WBA/IBF champion Josh “Tartan Tornado” Taylor (16-0, 12KO). Both have opponents in front of them that they must defeat in order to find out who will be the next true junior welterweight champion.
Taylor will return September 26 to defend his titles. But first, Ramirez has a stiff test in front of him in WBO #4 and WBC #1 ranked former champion Viktor Postol (31-2, 12KO). The former champion would love nothing more than to become the new unified champion and have an opportunity to avenge his June 2018 loss to Taylor in an undisputed championship bout!
JAB, JAB, JAB!
Prior to the fight, the champion stated he wanted to beat the challenger to the jab. However, it was Postol who looked excellent early on behind the jab as Ramirez continued to run into it. Granted, the champ is only an inch shorter in height and reach but he fights in a crouched position which makes him smaller than he is. Also, he is not known for his outside offensive ability. He needs to be at mid-range distance to be effective.
Therefore, Postol staying on the outside utilizing every bit of his height and reach is the obvious game-plan he needed to execute. Trainer Freddie Roach made it clear he wants his protege to beat the champ down the middle!
The former champion executed this game-plan to a tee! The jab setting up the straight right-hand was money and the champ did nothing to stop from being hit by it. Ramirez looked one-dimensional as he continuously tried to get close without effective head movement or footwork. His best chances early on were to charge in and catch Postol against the ropes, trap him and unleash a combination before he moves.
However, these opportunities came far and few in between in the first half of the fight.
Ramirez’ trainer Robert Garcia pleaded with his fighter to try and cut the ring off while attempting to go to the body more. The first half of this fight was clearly dictated at Postol’s pace, but if you know who Ramirez is, you know that would not continue for twelve straight rounds!
CATCHING THE OPPONENT SLIPPING
In the second half of the fight, the pressure started to be more effective for the champ. It is very difficult to keep up the pace Postol started for thirty-six minutes. Fatigue naturally starts to set into your legs and at 36 year-old, the effects are more serious. Those opportunities of putting the challenger’s back against the ropes started to come more now and the champ took full advantage.
In round seven, Postol backed into the ropes and took a left-hand right under the chin. The shot wobbled him as he staggered across the ring to get out of harms way. The same would happen in the eighth round as Ramirez started to close the distance on his opponent.
Those two rounds were by far the best rounds of the fight for the champ.
SHOW ME YOUR HEART
Going into the championship rounds, the sense of urgency from Robert Garcia was apparent. He would continue to plead that Ramirez win the final rounds of the bout in definitive fashion.
Ramirez fought exactly like how high the stakes were…like his titles and dream of fighting for undisputed champion was on the line! While the champion tried to repeat the success he had in the seventh and eighth rounds, but the challenger found more juice in his legs and his jab. It would be Postol who was able to repeat the success he had in the first half of the fight and banked the championship rounds.
SO WHO WON?
Judging this fight really depended on how one saw who was in control. 3kingsboxing.com felt Viktor Postol did enough behind the jab in making the champion look completely one-dimensional. We scored it 115-113 for the challenger.
However, the official scorecards had it 114-114, 115-113 and 116-112 for a majority decision awarded to Ramirez. Those scores were not controversial simply because there were many swing rounds.
Now all that is needed if for Josh Taylor to defeat his mandatory challenger on September 26 and we will be set to see who will be the next undisputed champion at junior welterweight!
By: EJ Williams
