Jose Ramirez is rolling once more.
The previous unified 140-pound titleholder dropped Richard Commey twice within the 11th spherical and stopped him in the identical stanza on Saturday in Fresno, California, his second consecutive victory since shedding his belts to Josh Taylor in 2021.
Ramirez (28-1, 18 KOs) defeated Jose Pedraza by a large determination in March of final 12 months.
The victory brings him nearer to a shot at a world title, probably towards WBC beltholder Regis Prograis. Ramirez entered the combat ranked No. 5.
“I need any world champion,” Ramirez mentioned. “If Regis Prograis is severe about preventing, we are able to sit down and negotiate. Let’s sit down and make the combat.”
Ramirez attacked Commey (30-5-1, 27 KOs) aggressively from the opening bell, touchdown quite a lot of punches to the top and physique spherical after spherical. That arrange a brutal ending.
Within the eleventh, Ramirez put Commey down with a proper hand however didn’t appear to harm him badly. Then, after the Ghanaian received to his toes, he took a vicious left hook to the physique that pressured him to take a knee.
And that’s the place he stayed when referee Jack Reiss reached the depend of 10. He wished no extra of Ramirez.
The official time of the stoppage was 2:31.
Ramirez mentioned felt some rust after a one-year layoff however was happy along with his efficiency.
“It’s at all times laborious after a layoff, however mentally I had to return to being my previous self and begin sturdy,” he mentioned. “There got here a degree in my profession the place I received too snug. However this time, I began with that rhythm of being lively with my punches all through the spherical.
“And I went again to my previous self. I damage him within the first spherical. However he’s a tricky man. Massive shoutout to Commey and his workforce. He’s an excellent warrior. He took some good photographs. And he picked it up in the course of the combat, too.
“I heard his workforce motivating him, however I wished to make an announcement and present that I’m the stronger man in there.”
That he was.
