On May 2 (May 3 Japan time), a 12-round welterweight bout took place at Times Square in New York as part of the “Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves” event, promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and Matchroom Boxing. Former two-division world champion and current WBC No. 1 and WBA No. 4 welterweight contender Devin Haney (USA) — 31 wins (15 KOs), no losses, 1 no contest — faced former WBO and WBC super lightweight champion José Carlos Ramírez (USA) — 29 wins (18 KOs), 2 losses — who is ranked No. 5 by the WBA at welterweight, and also holds WBC No. 8, WBO No. 9, and IBF No. 12 rankings at super lightweight. Haney won by unanimous decision.
In the opening round, Ramírez applied pressure while Haney used his footwork to stay mobile. Both fighters were cautious and threw few punches in a feeling-out round. In round 2, Ramírez continued to press forward but threw little, while Haney moved well, landing jabs and one-twos. In round 3, Ramírez couldn’t keep up with Haney’s footwork, and Haney landed sharp jabs followed by clean one-two combinations.
In round 4, Haney moved fluidly side to side, making it difficult for Ramírez to find a target, and landed a counter right straight. In round 5, Ramírez kept pressing but struggled to throw, and the few punches he did throw were slipped or blocked. Haney continued to move and land jabs and one-twos.
In round 6, Haney used quick footwork to set up jabs, one-twos, left hooks, and a right straight to the body. In round 7, Ramírez stepped forward slowly but still hesitated to throw, while Haney stayed on the move, landing jabs and a counter left hook as Ramírez stepped in.
In round 8, Haney remained in control with jabs and one-twos, while Ramírez’s right hands failed to connect. In round 9, Ramírez remained inactive, and Haney didn’t press the action either, resulting in a lackluster round with little engagement.
In round 10, Ramírez landed a jab. Although his follow-up flurry was evaded, Haney didn’t take any risks, opting for a safe, cautious approach. In round 11, one of Ramírez’s rare right straights to the body fell short. Haney moved even more comfortably, flicking out jabs, though his overall output remained low.
In the final round, Ramírez needed to launch a bold attack, but the pace didn’t change. Before he could throw, Haney had already moved out of range. Haney focused on movement and evasion, never delivering any damaging offense. The bout ended with scores of 119-109, 119-109, and 118-108.
From start to finish, Ramírez was unable to mount any effective offense, while Haney stayed in complete control, prioritizing safety. Neither fighter landed any damaging punches, resulting in a dull and uneventful contest. Haney’s performance at welterweight leaves questions that will need to be answered in future fights. As for Ramírez, though he didn’t take much damage, this marked his second consecutive lackluster outing, casting uncertainty on the future of his career.
Neither fighter was able to elevate their reputation with this performance. All eyes will be on whether they can redeem themselves in their next bout.
This article has been translated and published with permission from BOXING MASTER.
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