By: Sean Crose
28-1 Jose Carlos Ramirez is looking to impress his fellow Californians on Saturday night when he takes on 30-2-1 Rances Barthelemy at Save Mart Arena in Fresno. It was the first fight in more than a year for Ramirez, who is a former junior welterweight world champion and is now aiming to return to the top. On the other hand, the veteran Barthelemy is looking to change things up by proving that he is more than just a fighter past his prime. The fight is scheduled for twelve rounds.
Ramirez stalked his man for the first time while working on the body. Barthelemy landed low in the second round but Ramirez appeared unhurt. In fact, Ramirez constantly applied pressure throughout the show and chopped his opponent, especially to the body. By the third round, it was clear that Ramirez was looking to end the fight early because he kept throwing with bad intentions. However, Barthelemy remained steadfast, looking for opportunities and conserving energy.
He had a chance to survive later in the round when he took down Ramirez, who fell to the mat. Barthelemy then continued to attack Ramirez while Ramirez was on the canvas. However, the referee said that Ramirez was pushed. Barthelemy exploded again at the end of the round. It appeared that Ramirez, not Barthelemy, was nearly stopped at a distance. Sure enough, Barthelemy hurt Ramirez again in the fourth round. However, Ramirez continued to advance and attack.
The fifth round was tense as Ramirez continued to attack his foe. Barthelemy was less active than Ramirez in round six, but still found a footing for his left line. In the seventh round, one thing was evident – this fight was going to be hot. The fighters may not have looked as fresh in round eight as they did in the first, but they were still in for a high-octane contest. Barthelemy seemed unwilling to become more aggressive in round nine – a decision that could have cost him later in the fight.
By the tenth round, the fight finally slowed down. Both men are now looking to pick their shots. Ramirez returned to throwing multiple shots at once in round 11. Barthelemy, with a swollen face, still looked like he wanted to throw a hard punch. However, by the end of the round, Ramirez really started to wear Barthelemy down. Between rounds, the referee threatened to end the match if Barthelemy continued to receive punishment without reacting.
The twelfth and final round saw a defeated Barthelemy try to hang in there as the seconds ticked by. He was even able to land a few solid lefts. However, when the final bell rang, Ramirez was still standing. The final judge’s decision was in favor of Ramirez with scores of 119-109, 119-109 and 118-110.
Image: Golden Boy
