Rico Ramos

By David A. Avila

WBA junior featherweight titleholder Rico “Suavecito” Ramos makes his first world title defense against Cuba’s Guillermo Rigondeaux and few expect the Los Angeles-based boxer to emerge victorious.

The quick-fisted Ramos (20-0, 11 KOs) meets former two-time Olympic gold medalist Rigondeaux (8-0, 6 KOs) on Friday at Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. Goossen-Tutor Promotions stages the fight card that will be televised by Showtime.

Despite winning the title by impressive knockout over Japan’s Akifumi Shimoda last summer, many of Ramos’s detractors point toward his losing the majority of the rounds until a left hook ended the fight. Before that, the Japanese southpaw was proving very perplexing.

Once again Ramos faces a southpaw but this time a quicker and more powerful left-hander in Rigondeaux. The Cuban boxer’s professional record appears modest but as an amateur he accumulated hundreds of wins before leaving the island nation to seek fame and fortune in the U.S.

“He was a two-time gold medalist for Cuba with 400 amateur fights,” said Dan Goossen, president of Goossen-Tutor. “Rigondeaux is fighting someone else with a rich amateur career too.”

Ramos was a heralded amateur who chose to enter the professional prizefighting ranks at age 19. He’s always exhibited eye-blinking quickness with his feet and with his reflexes. And though he’s not known for knockout power, if necessary he can cut loose with a numb shocking left hook or right hand with devastating results.

Against Shimoda, though Ramos fell behind in the scoring, he turned up the dial and slid into attack mode. The result was a crackling seventh round knockout victory in Atlantic City to win the vacant world title.

The new challenger Rigondeaux was not impressed with Ramos’s victory or at least not acknowledging the come-from-behind win.

“I’ve had a great camp and I’m ready to go 100 percent,” said Rigondeaux, 31, whose last fight was 10 months ago in Ireland. That fight ended in a first round knockout win. “I’ll show you I am the champion.”

Ramos scowled briefly upon hearing his opponent’s words and when it was his turn to speak during a recent press conference, he was emphatic and curt.

“I’m going to keep the belt,” said Ramos with a look of indignation. “I’m staying undefeated.”

Also scheduled to participate on the same fight card is former U.S. Olympian Javier Molina of Norwalk. He suffered his first pro loss against San Bernardino’s Artemio Reyes Jr. and has also been riddled with injuries to his hands.

Two undefeated junior lightweight prospects face each other as Palmdale’s Joel Diaz (6-0, 5 KOs) tangles with Sacramento’s Guy Robb (7-0, 3 KOs) in a match set for eight rounds. It’s one of those rare bouts that pit two rising stars against each other early in their career.

Pechanga results

Last Friday Jan. 13, Monterey Park’s Walter “School Boy” Sarnoi (10-2, 5 KOs) defeated Jose Miguel Cota (15-6, 6 KOs) by decision after six rounds in a featherweight main event at Pechanga Resort and Casino. Sarnoi used movement and effective body punching to stave off the Mexicali boxers aggressive pressure.

“I tried to stand and slug but he could take a pretty good punch,” said Sarnoi, who trains at Azteca Boxing Gym under tutelage of Javier Capetillo, the former trainer of Antonio Margarito.

Moreno Valley’s Kevin Hoskins (5-0, 3 KOs) proved too strong and too fast for San Diego’s Angel Torres (2-7-2) and won by technical knockout at 2:32 of the first round of the junior lightweight match. Hoskins caught Torres on the rope with a vicious left hook that put him down for the count of eight. Torres survived but near his own corner was caught with another left and staggered a bit. Referee Wayne Hedgepeth wisely stopped the fight.

Other winners were Elizabeth Cervantes and Ulises Soriano. Nicholas Balestra and Eduardo Hernandez fought to a draw.

Fights on television

Fri. Showtime, 11 p.m., Rico Ramos (20-0) vs. Guillermo Rigondeaux (8-0).

Fri. Telemundo, 11:30 p.m., Luis De La Rosa (18-1-1) vs. Ivan Meneses (16-9-1).

Sat. Versus, 8 p.m., Jesus Soto Karass (24-6-3) vs. Gabriel Rosado (18-5).

Sat. Televisa, 8 p.m., Daniel Ponce De Leon (41-4) vs. Omar Estrella (15-3-2).