Ask boxing fans what they most desire from a fight, and the majority will say they prefer a battle between two evenly matched fighters. Those fans will get just that next month.
Eddie Ramirez rocks Cristobal Cruz with a big right hand last September. Ramirez defeated Cruz, a former 126-pound world champ, by unanimous decision, one of 14 consecutive victories to start his pro career. (Suzanne Teresa/Premier Boxing Champions)
Undefeated 140-pound prospects Eddie Ramirez (14-0, 9 KOs) and Kevin Watts (11-0, 4 KOs) will square off September 13 at Robinson Rancheria Resort and Casino in Nice, California. The scheduled eight-round bout headlines the next edition of Fox Sports 1’s Toe-to-Toe Tuesdays series (8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT).
Not only are Ramirez and Watts unbeaten, but both are 24 years old (they were born just six weeks apart), both turned pro in 2013 and both stand 5-foot-8.
Watts, who is a native of Los Angeles now living in Lancaster, California, does own a slight reach advantage (70½-68). However, Ramirez possesses more power, which the Aurora, Illinois, native flashed early in his career by knocking out seven of his first nine foes, starting with a trio of first-round stoppages.
A former Chicago Golden Gloves champion, Ramirez has fought twice this year, defeating veterans Osumanu Akaba by second-round TKO (April 29) and Jessie Roman by 10-round unanimous decision (July 9). The lopsided win over Romero, who entered with a 20-2 record, was Ramirez’s longest bout to date.
“It feels good to be fighting in my first main event,” Ramirez said. “I look at it as more motivation to keep working hard. I’m going to go in there and feel my opponent out and just push him every round. “I go into every fight ready for a battle, and I expect that on September 27.”
Watts is coming off a fifth-round TKO of Michael Chudecki at Robinson Rancheria Resort on March 15, which was preceded by an eight-round unanimous decision over Manuel Damairias Lopez in December. Chudecki and Lopez were a combined 20-2-1 before falling to Watts.
“I’m ready for another chance to show that I’m a world-class fighter,” Watts said. “Eddie Ramirez is a solid prospect who hasn’t lost yet, but I’m going to be well prepared for victory on September 13.”
Both fighters have been very active since April 2015, during which time Ramirez has competed in seven bouts and Watts has been in action five times.
And while all 11 of Watts’ pro fights have taken place in his home state, Ramirez has competed west of Chicago just once: Last September, he defeated former 126-pound world champion Cristobal Cruz by six-round unanimous decision in Hollywood, California.
For full coverage of Ramirez vs Watts, bounce over to our fight page.
