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SportsTranscript
00:00All right, gentlemen, the belt lines are good right here in the middle of the waistband, right at the letters.
00:05You both received my instructions, so you know what I expect.
00:08A good, clean fight, obey my commands, protect yourself at all times.
00:11Touch gloves, God bless you both.
00:13Tamir Smalls, full of confidence, believes a win tonight will get him into the world rankings
00:18with his major sanctioning bodies in the ring.
00:20As for Abel Ramos, he hopes this victory tonight will turn him from a gatekeeper
00:25to walking through the gate and earn another world title opportunity.
00:29Should be a good one.
00:31Tamir Smalls and Abel Ramos.
00:34Ready?
00:34Abelito.
00:38You know, I was surprised at the odds coming into this fight.
00:41Ramos is coming in as an underdog.
00:44And yes, Smalls has the perfect record and certainly the power behind his punches,
00:49but he does not have anywhere near the experience that Ramos has.
00:52And I don't think Ramos is a shot fighter by any stretch.
00:54That's not what I saw last year against Mario Barrios.
00:58Ramos, Smalls coming off a win over Jose Roman Vasquez,
01:02where he went the 10-round distance for the first time right here on DAZN.
01:07Should say two years ago against Barrios.
01:08That's 2024 is when they fought.
01:12Smalls currently ranked by the WBA at number nine,
01:15but hopes to get the attention of the WBC, IBF, and WBO here tonight.
01:21Sergio, what does he have to do to beat Abel Ramos?
01:24White needs to maintain that distance like he's doing now.
01:27You know, pop that jab.
01:28Don't let Ramos get on the inside and make it a rough physical fight.
01:32You want to maintain that distance, maintain that mid-range,
01:35and fight your fight, which is more of a boxing fight than it is a physical fight.
01:40But whenever you're dealing with a fighter like Ramos,
01:42it's going to turn physical, you know, sooner or later.
01:45So we're going to see what Smalls is made of.
01:47I was going to say, waiting for Ramos to throw a punch.
01:49There was something.
01:52You know, talking to Bozienis this morning, who's in the corner of Smalls,
01:55they want him fighting behind that stick.
01:57He's got a very good jab,
01:58and they want him throwing it early and often to set up that right hand.
02:01He's got dynamite in that right hand.
02:03Yes, he does, and he also has patience.
02:05That's the thing about Tamir Smalls that I like.
02:07He has patience.
02:08He knows how to manage the clock of a round, you know,
02:11so you really can't give up too many rounds against a fighter like Smalls
02:15because he'll take what he can get.
02:17Oh, good left, but followed by a check hook from Smalls.
02:21Both of them exchanged.
02:23They both landed.
02:23Smalls got the better of it slightly.
02:25Ramos turned professional in 2011, 15 years as a pro.
02:29That's the longest boxing career of anyone on tonight's card.
02:33Ramos is going to need upper body movement,
02:34just like he's starting to do right there.
02:36He can't just be in the line of fire of the long, strong punches of Smalls.
02:41He has to have perpetual head movement
02:44and not rely on one punch, dipping one punch.
02:50Got to fight with a rhythm if you're able, Ramos.
02:59Just missing with the right hand was Tamir Smalls.
03:02Both men approaching this first round rather cautiously.
03:05Yeah, that's Smalls' best punch is that right hand.
03:07He lines it up nicely.
03:09He steps back just barely to make opponents miss,
03:13and he catches him with that straight right hand, laser-like right hand.
03:20See, this is Ramos' fight right there.
03:22Just, you know, getting that lead hand, that right, that left jab,
03:27and picking him at the face, the chest, the belly,
03:29and then once you break that range, dig away at the body.
03:33In a quiet round, it could sway your favorite just by being a little bit more active.
03:43Just like that, nice and relaxed, just like that.
03:47Just like that, nice and relaxed, just like that, nice and relaxed.
03:50You know what I mean? Nice and relaxed.
03:51He's going to keep trying to reach to that body.
03:53You know what I mean?
03:53Let's keep walking off.
03:54You know what I mean?
03:55From that jab, I'm on that jab, double that jab.
03:58Don't start throwing one, double.
03:59And off that front foot, stab to the body.
04:02And we need that right hand.
04:03He's scared to death of that right hand.
04:04You know what I mean?
04:05Keep popping that jab, start going to that side.
04:08Like I told you, and start throwing that right hand.
04:10We're going to start throwing more on the right hand.
04:11You need that right hand going, all right?
04:13But on that side right there.
04:15He's going to keep trying to reach that right up to the body.
04:17You know what I mean?
04:18That's why I want you on that side.
04:20All right?
04:20I want you on that side right there.
04:21That crackdown.
04:22That crackdown.
04:23You know what I mean?
04:23Sometimes throw it straight.
04:24Keep that jab popping.
04:26Sometimes when you fake it, pop that jab off that front foot.
04:35And Abel Ramos coming off a 470-day layoff, the longest of his boxing career.
04:40In fact, he's only fighting for the sixth time in the last five years.
04:45Sergio, you talk about how important activity is.
04:47He hasn't had much at all.
04:48No, and that's a red flag.
04:50But the type of style that he has, you know, I'm not saying that he can get away with activity.
04:56But if anyone can get away with activity, someone that don't rely on the bounce of footwork,
05:01you know, of moving around the ring and relying on instinct and speed and defense,
05:06flat-footed fighters can be inactive a little bit longer than boxers.
05:11Ramos did say that he enjoyed the 470-day layoff, didn't feel rushed to get back,
05:16healed some injuries, obviously had his newborn baby.
05:20So he enjoyed the vacation and now is ready to get back to work here tonight.
05:24And there's that upper body movement I wanted to see from Smalls, I mean, from Ramos.
05:27Just slightly move left and right, you know, get some perpetual movement,
05:32like just like that if you're able Ramos.
05:35You can't let someone like Tamir Smalls line you up with that jab.
05:39You know, I like how Smalls is fighting so far.
05:42One of the questions about him coming in that people have had is discipline.
05:45Like, can he stick with the game plan, fight behind that jab,
05:49or is he more inclined to mix it up and get out of that game plan?
05:52So far, he's doing really well fighting behind that jab.
05:56Good right hook to the body by Abel Ramos, and that's going to be his M.O.
06:01He's going to have to just keep punching at the body.
06:02Anytime he breaks that range and get past that long jab of Smalls,
06:06he's got to aim at the ribs of the third fighter.
06:09And Smalls is pretty dangerous in these exchanges as well.
06:12You go back to his last fight, he dropped Jose Roman during one of those exchanges.
06:15That power in that right hand, that's real.
06:19Crowd getting a little restless.
06:20They were spoiled by the first fight of the night.
06:22The action between Martinez and Cardenas.
06:26A much slower pace here between these bigger fighters at 147 pounds.
06:30Big right hand just missed right there by Smalls.
06:33He needs to double that jab in order to hide that right hand.
06:38That one-two is not going to work against a veteran,
06:40an experienced fighter like Abel Ramos.
06:43You've got to fool him. You've got to bait him.
06:45And we talked about the value of sparring.
06:49Smalls, of course, working out of that Bozy Ennis gym.
06:51He's been working there his entire professional career as a chance to spar.
06:54Spar with Boots Ennis pretty consistently.
06:57Spars with Andy Cruz pretty consistently.
06:58So he's getting good work every single day he's in the gym.
07:01Sergio, did you have a hard time blocking out crowd noise when you fought?
07:05Because you were booed all the time.
07:06I was.
07:07Well, look, the thing about the crowd is when they're on your side,
07:11you get a burst of adrenaline.
07:13And when they're not on your side, you get a burst of anger.
07:16So you want to actually shut them up and quiet them up as fast as possible.
07:21You see Smalls really taking advantage of that reach,
07:24getting good pop at the back end of those punches.
07:26Good shot there by Ramos, mixing it up with a 2-3.
07:29Instead of coming in with a jab, he's mixing up the combinations.
07:32And that's what veterans have up their sleeves,
07:35is unique combinations that come in the front door.
07:39Well, let's see if we can lift the crowd's spirits
07:41by showing you our main event arrivals.
07:44And there he is, Emmanuel Navarrete,
07:47a slight underdog tonight.
07:49Chris, are you surprised?
07:51A little bit.
07:52I mean, Sugar Nunez is a tremendous fighter,
07:54but this is a three-division world champion,
07:56a guy that's been in with some of the best
07:58in every weight class that he's boxed in.
08:00And I can tell you from talking to him and talking to his team,
08:03he has had an outstanding training camp going into this fight.
08:06And an intimidating walk.
08:08The man they call El Vaquero coming in like a Terminator.
08:13A Mexican Terminator.
08:17And there's Sugar Nunez.
08:19You can see his posse is very excited and animated.
08:23This could be the biggest fight of his life, Sergio.
08:25He's up to the challenge.
08:27Of course he's going to be up to the challenge.
08:29I mean, these are two huge punchers.
08:31Both these guys have the support of the Mexican fans.
08:35But it's that man that wants to prove that he's the next Mexican star
08:38and he can beat a three-division world champion like Navarrete.
08:41He's in the business.
08:42You know, I've been trying to gauge
08:43who is going to have the crowd behind him
08:47based on what we just heard when it was showing up on the big screen.
08:49It felt 50-50. It felt right down the middle.
08:52The fans from Sinaloa, they're here for Sugar.
08:55The fans from just outside Mexico City, they're here for Navarrete.
08:58I think this is the kind of crowd where there will be some people
09:00that you can sway either way, like Rocky with the Russians.
09:03By the end, you know, who's to say Sugar Nunez
09:06doesn't have this crowd by the palm of his hand?
09:08You know that was a fake fight, right, Todd?
09:09It was real to me!
09:13All right, let's look at Chris Mannix's scorecard through two rounds.
09:16Yeah, I've got it two rounds to none in favor of Tamir Smalls.
09:18Not a ton of action, but it's felt like the jab
09:20has been working pretty well for Smalls.
09:22He's followed it up with a couple of good right hands.
09:25Cagey fight, not a great action fight, as you can tell
09:28by the reaction of the crowd already into this third round.
09:30But I thought Tamir Smalls has done the better work behind that left hand.
09:36Abel Ramos, you're talking about experience.
09:38He spots seven former world champions.
09:41Hooker, Pro Gray, Ranchuk, Jamal James, Jordanis Ugas, Omar Figueroa,
09:47and Mario Barrios.
09:49That's some real experience.
09:51Absolutely, and right now I'm getting flashbacks.
09:55Watching Tamir Smalls, his frame, his jab, his right hand,
10:01the way he maintains, I mean, he reminds me of a Viper, man, Vernon Forrest.
10:06I know that's high praise, but I fought that man two times,
10:09and what I'm seeing with Smalls, I'm getting flashbacks, man.
10:13He has exactly the same type of, you know, posture.
10:19One of my favorite fights all time, Vernon Forrest versus Ricardo Mayorga,
10:23the first one.
10:24I'll never forget that one.
10:25Rest in peace to the Viper, man.
10:27What a great fighter.
10:29Vernon Forrest belongs in the Boxing Hall of Fame.
10:31Agreed.
10:32What about Sergio?
10:34Sergio belongs in the California Boxing Hall of Fame.
10:36Oh, you know what?
10:38I do.
10:39They should be calling me pretty funny anytime soon.
10:44Under a minute to go here in the third.
10:45The crowd hoping this fight wakes up a little bit.
10:48More action here in the third than the prior two rounds.
10:50They'll give him that.
10:51Oh, good body shot there by Smalls.
10:53Nice little sneaky right hand to the body.
10:55That's what you do with these tough Mexicans.
10:57These veterans, they can take a big shot upstairs.
11:00You've got to poke them to the body.
11:01And Philly fighters, man, they're excellent, you know, body punchers.
11:06I tell you, this is what Smalls' team has been hoping for.
11:09A disciplined fight.
11:10Not exchanging with Ramos.
11:11Not putting himself at too much risk.
11:13The jab's really working really well for Smalls.
11:19Beautiful jab right there by Smalls.
11:22Good body shot.
11:24Smalls' time was coming to his chin and hit him under his arm.
11:29Smalls' gotta be careful with those looping shots.
11:31Ten seconds, guys.
11:32Ramos is a heavy-handed puncher.
11:34It just takes one punch to change the momentum of this fight, no matter how in control you are.
11:43Well, it's a doubleheader on March the 14th.
11:46Live on his own as Johnson Dickens bounces first defense of his WBA super featherweight crowd against former IBF champ
11:52Anthony Kakache in Dublin.
11:55And then Arnold Barbosa Jr. and Kenneth Sims Jr. collide in a high-stakes can't-miss main event at the
12:01Honda Center in Anaheim,
12:03along with Puerto Rico's unified champion Oscar Colazzo and undisputed world champion Gabriela Fundura putting their titles on the line.
12:12Great day and night of fights March 14th.
12:17And there's that jab by Ramos breaking that mid-range.
12:22But you can see any time he does break that range, Smalls is ready with a counter.
12:26Nice little touch downstairs.
12:27And that's what—oh, that punch did land, Todd.
12:29I thought it landed on the shoulder or bicep.
12:32That was a hard overhand right by a heavy-handed puncher in Ramos.
12:36Smalls can't be taking it easy with a veteran.
12:39I was going to say, I would imagine you—correct me if I'm wrong—you get hit in a place that you
12:42don't normally take a shot,
12:44like right underneath your arm right there.
12:45It probably hurts a little worse.
12:46It hurts a lot.
12:47It hurts a lot.
12:48So I'm surprised Smalls took that as well as he did.
12:55And yes, they are getting the wave going here in Glendale.
12:59Chris, please sit down.
13:00You're not part of this.
13:01I am not pro-waves.
13:07And that's the crowd—that's the sound you hear from this crowd.
13:13We're in the fourth round.
13:14Abel Ramos and Tamir Smalls, our second fight of the night.
13:18Good right-hander landed by Tamir Smalls and right back to the center of the ring.
13:23This is the thing about these Philly fighters.
13:25We know they're tough.
13:25We know they're powerful and strong.
13:27But they also carry a game plan.
13:29You know, I love the fact that he lands his shots and gets back on the back foot.
13:40He's going to have to take some chances.
13:43You know, he can't be on the outside like this.
13:45It's going to be all Smalls.
13:47Once he gets on the inside, he needs to punch out whatever Smalls is giving him.
13:50But he's going to be eating right hands like he did right there.
13:54And I think the strategy will pay dividends.
13:56If he keeps sticking that jab out there, maybe get Ramos to get a little bit desperate,
13:59that's when he can time and line up that straight right hand.
14:02That's the shot they're looking for.
14:03That's what they see on film.
14:05They see Ramos as someone who's going to come forward and eventually walk into one of those shots.
14:09Well, Ramos has only been stopped once in his six losses.
14:12That came back in 2015 as Regis Progre forced him to quit on his stool after round eight.
14:19Yeah, tough guy with a very good chin.
14:21And what do you make of Progre versus Conor Bin?
14:27Chris, hello, is your mic working?
14:31I think it's a fun fight as long as it lasts.
14:35I'm glad both of them got paid.
14:37I mean, that's an obscene amount of money for that type of fight.
14:42Boy, this is a tough crowd.
14:43Hey, listen, it was a good round by Ramos.
14:46He landed some excellent body shots.
14:48I know that Smalls is on the outside lending the job, controlling the distance,
14:52but some good work on the inside by Abel Ramos
14:55that's going to pay dividends as long as this fight goes with those body shots.
15:19See, Ramos right there, he broke the distance, but he loaded up on that right hook to the body.
15:23Because if you're him, you've got to double your way in and don't load up on shots.
15:28You've just got to be comfortable with your natural heavy hands landing.
15:33Ten seconds, guys.
15:34Down with the bell.
15:36Hands free, guys.
15:36Ramos is a step behind in speed and in power, but he has good timing,
15:42so he should rely on timing and not overload on shots.
15:56Look, man, look, he's getting slower.
15:58Okay.
15:58He's getting slower.
15:59His right hand, you can see it coming.
16:01Here's his money shot sticking in that round, okay?
16:05Look, see?
16:06He's starting to get tired, okay?
16:10Look, he thought it was going to be easy.
16:12Yeah, let's go.
16:13He keeps when he comes in across and leaves it down.
16:16Three, three, three, three.
16:18That's a big run.
16:21And these are the body shots I'm talking about, guys.
16:24There's that nice left hook that landed on the right side of the rib cage,
16:28and right here he just misses another body shot going downstairs.
16:32Smalls thought it was going upstairs.
16:34It ricocheted off the glove, but good body work.
16:38Looking around that, Ramos probably didn't win,
16:40but at least invested to the body and downstairs.
16:44Tamir Smalls turned pro in 2019.
16:46At the same time period, Ramos already had 30 professional fights.
16:51So that is the difference between the 34-year-old Ramos
16:55and 26-year-old Tamir Smalls.
17:00You can already see the game plan developing for both these guys.
17:03Tamir Smalls, as we've been talking about, wants to fight behind the jab.
17:07Ramos, though, body punching.
17:0917-7 edge in body punches landed through four rounds.
17:12Yep, and I see the work he's doing downstairs,
17:15but it's just not enough to sway the rounds in his favor
17:18because, you know, this is what ring generalship is.
17:21You know, whenever Smalls is controlling the clock,
17:24controlling the center of the ring,
17:26boxing and fighting behind that jab.
17:28Oh, nice right hand for Ramos as Smalls is a little off balance.
17:32You know, he dictates the rhythm of the fight
17:34and the rhythm of the rounds.
17:35Let's look at Chris Mannix's scorecard through four rounds.
17:38Yeah, I've got it four rounds to none in favor of Tamir Smalls.
17:41I did think Ramos did some nice work in that last one,
17:43but there you see that stick fighting behind that jab.
17:45Sharp jab from Tamir Smalls.
17:48Ramos got to mix things up.
17:49He's going to have to get on the inside,
17:50dig towards that body to win some of these rounds.
17:53And in order to get inside,
17:54don't just rely on overhand rights and power punching.
17:57You've got to jab your way in.
17:58Double and triple your way in
18:01and don't load up on shots
18:02because Smalls is going to make you miss and pay.
18:05Smalls told us yesterday
18:06he believed he would win every round of this fight.
18:09And so far, according to Chris Mannix,
18:10that's exactly what he's done.
18:15Says, when I treat him the way I'm going to treat him,
18:18people know I'm ready for a world title.
18:20This fight will not be close.
18:21Another good body shot there by Ramos.
18:23A sneaky, sneaky right hand.
18:25It was like an uppercut that landed right on Smalls.
18:28Smalls didn't like that shot.
18:34A couple of nice jabs there from Ramos.
18:36And he backs Smalls against the rope.
18:39Landed a right hand.
18:40Good fifth round here for Ramos.
18:42Yeah, and it started with that heavy right hand downstairs.
18:45Smalls hasn't punched since.
18:47Nothing with aggression as far as that right hand goes.
18:52And this is what Ramos needs to do.
18:54You know, he needs to capitalize on that moment.
18:56He landed a good right hand to the body.
18:57Keep digging downstairs.
19:00Jab your way in.
19:01Overload that body shot downstairs.
19:06There it is again.
19:07Yeah, he's almost exclusively targeting the body, Sergio.
19:10Yeah, because he can't land nothing clean upstairs.
19:12You know, Smalls is too good with the upper body and rolling with shots.
19:15Oh, good punch there from Abel Ramos.
19:18Stop, stop, stop.
19:20And look, there's a veteran tactic by Abel Ramos.
19:22As soon as Smalls wanted to clinch, he put his entire weight on top of Smalls.
19:28That's a veteran tactic to try to sap the leg strength.
19:33Best round of the fight by far for Abel Ramos.
19:50Let's check in with Chris Mannix, who's with Raymond Ford.
19:54At Angitad, I am here with Raymond Ford, former 126-pound champion here, supporting Tamir Smalls.
20:00What are you seeing so far, Ray?
20:02I feel like he look good.
20:03He got a good jab.
20:04I just want to put the right hand behind it and put the combinations together.
20:07I don't think the dude really want to be in there.
20:10All right, we haven't seen you back in action last summer in Saudi Arabia.
20:14Where have you been, and when are we going to see you back?
20:16I've been chilling on the couch, just watching everybody do their thing.
20:20We had Oshaki Foster on our podcast on Friday.
20:22He said he is down to fight you later this year.
20:25Oshaki, of course, has a title.
20:27Is that the fight you're looking at next?
20:28I mean, it's about time.
20:29It's only been two years been calling this man's name, but hopefully we get it done.
20:34That's definitely the fight that I want next.
20:36I know the fans want that fight.
20:38I've been wanting that fight.
20:40Hopefully, you know, he stand up on his word, and we get it done.
20:44Appreciate it, Ray.
20:45For sure.
20:45Appreciate it.
20:45Sergio Oshaki Foster versus Raven Ford.
20:48Love that fight, man.
20:49I mean, Ford is always in competitive fights, and he's growing into his man's strength, confidence
20:54in his power.
20:55Foster is having some of the best wins in his career.
20:58That's an excellent matchup, and at the right time, I would love to see that fight.
21:01As Chris joins us back here at ringside, how likely will we see that match next, Chris?
21:06But I'm told it is very likely.
21:10Short but sweet.
21:13Let's check the fan zone.
21:15What do you guys think?
21:16Tamir Smalls, 61% to 39.
21:19Sergio Abel coming off his best round there in the fifth.
21:22Can he build on that?
21:23He better build on it.
21:24It's going to be downstairs.
21:25If he is going to continue some kind of momentum, because this fight's getting away from him,
21:29and at long range, it's going to be Altamir Smalls.
21:33So upper body movement, more body shots, and take more chances if you're Abel Ramos.
21:39There you go.
21:40See, just like that.
21:40Two heavy shots downstairs, and that's keeping the elbows tucked in and the long arms of Smalls at bay.
21:49Right hand upstairs, and that may have buzzed Smalls a little bit.
21:52Yeah, I think it did.
21:55Playing possum at Smalls.
21:56He got hit with two big shots right there.
21:58Ooh, another one.
21:59He's hurt.
22:00Guys, Tamir Smalls is hurt.
22:03You see Ramos starting to show some different angles here.
22:06Sergio, I know you love that 2-1.
22:07That's twice we've seen the 2-1 from Ramos.
22:09It's a sneaky punch because fighters aren't prepared.
22:13They're accustomed.
22:14Oh, they'd like to...
22:15The jab.
22:16No, a 1-2.
22:17But when you switch it up on under the 2-1, it throws everything out the window.
22:20It's doing everything backwards.
22:22Of course, by the 2-1, you mean throw the right-hand power punch for a smaller body jab.
22:26That's what a 2-1 is, Todd, yes.
22:27To those watching at home that might not be familiar with the numbers.
22:31Why, everyone at home knows what a 1-2 is, right?
22:34They can't talk back.
22:38And I'll tell you what, Ramos just ended up another 2-1 that rocked Smalls back.
22:45Nice adjustment for Ramos over these last couple of rounds.
22:49He's using those different angles to get inside.
22:51And when he's inside, he's landing some consequential shots.
22:57They're on the right hand.
22:59Oh, yeah.
22:59Abelito.
23:06Todd, I think he just said grandfather in Spanish.
23:09It's Abelito.
23:10Little Abel.
23:11Abuelito's grandfather.
23:12Well, I was talking about his grandfather, actually.
23:15Good body shot by Abelito.
23:23Right on the belt line.
23:24The referee lets that one go.
23:26I love that call.
23:27Belt line shots are fine, especially when your belt line is going north like that.
23:34It seems like a nice overhand right there by Abel Ramos.
23:39Well, Sanchez is right back into this fight.
23:41And he started with those body shots and that 2-1 that he landed.
23:44He got the respect of Tamir Smalls.
23:57Let me get this water.
24:00Yeah, put that pressure on him, Todd.
24:02You can get it.
24:03Get some of that jam and put those combinations together.
24:05How you feel?
24:06How you feel?
24:08How you feel?
24:10All right.
24:10Stay tight.
24:11Don't go back.
24:12Don't go back.
24:13You got to push him back, Todd.
24:15You got to stay tight.
24:16Stay tight.
24:16Listen, stay tight and bend.
24:18Stay on your ground.
24:19I want you to start whipping that shit.
24:21You know what I mean?
24:21Don't let look.
24:22He can't go wrong.
24:23Momentum shifting and Ramos, the veteran, finding new ways to get inside.
24:27And there's that 2-1 I'm talking about, Todd.
24:29He threw that straight right hand.
24:31And then right behind it was that jab, that power jab that lands on Smalls.
24:36Boom.
24:36Shots like that.
24:38Beautiful shots.
24:39Those are punches that land on sawpaws normally.
24:41That 2-1 is a backwards 1-2, of course.
24:44And then Smalls didn't expect that coming.
24:48So Abel Ramos may have won the last two rounds after losing the first four.
24:53So he's right back in this.
24:57Aaron Pryor, the hawk, was the king of the 2-1s.
25:01That's how he was able to beat down and beat a great fighter like Arguello.
25:06You know, you break that distance.
25:07You break that range with confusing them.
25:10But coming into the front door with a 2-1, and then you can unleash your shots in combinations.
25:14Let's see how Chris Mannix has it through six.
25:16Yeah, I've got it 58-56 in favor of Tamir Smalls.
25:20But the momentum now on the side of Abel Ramos.
25:23Ramos, look, he told us during this fight week, the second half is when I'm going to make my move
25:28there.
25:28He knows that Smalls has got that length advantage.
25:31He knows he's going to be hot early on.
25:33But he believes his experience was going to come into play right around this time of the fight.
25:38These last couple rounds, he has picked it up, and he has landed the better shots.
25:4158-56 right now in favor of Tamir Smalls.
25:44I agree, and this is the thing when you're facing a veteran and a championship gatekeeper like Abel Ramos.
25:50You know, guys like Tamir Smalls with 15, 16, 17 fights, this is what proves that you can separate yourself
25:57from the pack.
25:58Look at the power shots landed.
26:00Ramos over doubled the amount of Smalls who landed 5 compared to 12.
26:04And you can hear in the corner, Bozienis and company telling Smalls,
26:07you've got to be first, you've got to be in the front foot.
26:09You can't just always react to what he's doing.
26:11Yeah, right now he's very reactive.
26:14And this is only making Abel Ramos see red and encouraging him.
26:19Too much moving now from Smalls and not enough punching like he was doing earlier.
26:24I asked Smalls yesterday, what's a Bozienis fighter known for?
26:28He goes, first and foremost, it's all about defense.
26:31Well, right now it's, I think, a little bit of fatigue because...
26:35Well, his body shots are just taking it out of him.
26:38Smalls is slowing down and it has to be the body shots being landed by Ramos.
26:45See, shots like that, you can see the arms getting lower and lower by Smalls.
26:49He's worried about these body shots instead of the looping right hands now.
26:52Another clean, another clean shot downstairs.
26:57Ramos methodically marching his way back into this fight.
27:00And, Sergio, this is a guy in Ramos that just understands how to fight a 10-round fight.
27:07Understands that it's not about emptying the clip in the first three or four rounds, but committing to those body
27:12shots.
27:13Another brutal body shot for Ramos.
27:15How did Smalls stay up on that fight?
27:18I mean, that right hook to the body landed cleanly.
27:21But, Sergio, I was surprised it was so open.
27:23We could see the shot coming before he even threw it.
27:26That left arm is completely covering the ribs now.
27:29This is the time that Abel Ramos should be looping the overhand right to the top of the head.
27:37Tamir Smalls is rocked to the body.
27:39He's hurting.
27:39He's rocked to the body.
27:40He's shrinking right now, Sergio.
27:42The output's not there.
27:44Fatigue is setting in.
27:45And Abel Ramos has come to life.
27:49Beware the gatekeeper in boxing, guys.
28:01I want you to keep doing exactly the same thing, but more punches.
28:12I love what you're doing.
28:15Look, you're sitting down on shots.
28:16I love that.
28:18Look, you're going to mess this guy up.
28:22Look, once you get inside, you've got to let those hands go.
28:36Look, you can stop this guy, man.
28:43Getting set for round eight here at the Desert Diamond Casino Arena in Glendale, Arizona.
28:49Our first by the night was an outstanding draw.
28:52And this one getting a little better round by round, especially if you're an Abel Ramos fan.
28:57I like the instructions from the corner of Ramos, noting that a stoppage could be there.
29:03If you're Ramos and you've been on the wrong end of some really tough decision, a split decision, a draw,
29:09you cannot leave this fight in the hands of the judge.
29:13He gave away some of those early rounds.
29:14And even though he's rallied, this is a really close fight.
29:17He's got to try to step on the gas and get a stoppage if he can.
29:20That is an excellent point because that's what separates a gatekeeper from a journeyman.
29:24Gatekeepers still try to beat these prospects.
29:27They try to find a way to win.
29:29A journeyman is satisfied going the distance.
29:32Abel Ramos is no journeyman.
29:33He doesn't believe he is.
29:34He believes he's still a championship-level fighter.
29:37And you can certainly understand.
29:39The other two good body shots there from Ramos.
29:40He was maybe one round away from beating Barrios and changing his fortune overnight.
29:46Yeah, one round away from becoming a world champion.
29:48He believes he can get back in that same position if he can beat Smalls tonight.
29:53And things are trending in the right direction.
29:55This is something that Smalls' team was talking to me about a little bit this week.
29:59Sticking to the game plan.
30:00The game plan early on was fighting behind that jab.
30:03That jab has largely gone away over these last couple of rounds.
30:06It's been taken away by the body shots of Ramos, I think.
30:09Oh, another one landed.
30:12And Smalls now mouth open, breathing heavily.
30:16And that's what body work does, man.
30:18Little by little, it just starts surprising you.
30:20You're wondering why your legs are slowing down,
30:22while you're breathing heavier,
30:23while your technique is getting sloppy.
30:25It's because the investments of the body
30:28that Abel Ramos has been putting downstairs.
30:32The body work paying dividends in the late rounds.
30:35Ramos just hammering away at the midsection.
30:38Hands down up to mere Smalls,
30:40but he gets a break from these exchanges.
30:43And as Sergio said earlier,
30:44the lower the hands go,
30:45the more open the overhand right will be
30:47if Ramos can land it.
30:52Try it right there.
30:54Ramos is overloading.
30:55Too much power behind that right hand.
30:57He just keep pecking and poking.
31:00Don't overload with his right hands
31:02because then you're the one going to be fatigued
31:04by missing big punches.
31:05There's one right there.
31:07Partially blocked, but Sergio,
31:08that's one of those where even if you block it,
31:09it does damage.
31:10And it still hurts, absolutely.
31:12You know, with those eight-ounce gloves,
31:15you know, even if you block a punch,
31:16it's still going to hurt.
31:20That's why that earmuff defense,
31:22I've never been a fan of it.
31:24You know, even when you're punching those shots,
31:26you're still going to do damage.
31:28You've got to make opponents completely miss.
31:31Swing at air.
31:32That's defense.
31:39Two missed punches from Smalls.
31:42Nothing good air.
31:48Oh, Ramos just turning this home run left hook.
31:56Well, coming up next,
31:58a future phenom perhaps in the making
32:01of General Emiliano Vargas,
32:04of course, the son of the great Fernando Vargas.
32:0816-0 with 13 knockouts.
32:11He got so much buzz this week, Chris.
32:13They decided, you know what,
32:14we're going to put you in the co-main.
32:16Yeah, he was scheduled to fight right here at this slot,
32:18but just minds changed during the week
32:20when people in the matchroom saw the reaction
32:23to Emiliano Vargas.
32:25Emiliano Vargas isn't even their fighter.
32:26He is a top-ranked fighter.
32:28This is a matchroom card,
32:29but they know this kid has the potential
32:31to be the next superstar in boxing,
32:33but he's got to get past that man,
32:35Augustin Quintana,
32:36who we last saw at the end of 2024
32:38knock off another prospect in Marc Castro.
32:42Upset the apple cart.
32:43This is a guy that says he only gets up for big fights.
32:47This is a big fight for Quintana.
32:49He's got Ray Vargas.
32:56He looks like I'm going to lose.
33:00Here we go.
33:02Ramos appears to be on a roll right now.
33:06As we enter round nine,
33:08the fight can hang in the balance
33:09over the last six minutes.
33:10This is a competitive fight.
33:12I think this is the type of fight that Ramos wanted.
33:15He got back right into this fight by being physical,
33:17and this fight's slipping away
33:19from the Philadelphia native.
33:21Let's look at Chris Mannix's scorecard through eight.
33:23Yeah, it was a one-sided fight
33:25through the first four rounds.
33:27It has felt one-sided over the last four.
33:3076-76 on my scorecard.
33:32The body work of Alvaro Ramos
33:34is really paying off in this fight.
33:36He's been committed to digging downstairs
33:38and following it up
33:39with some really good shots over the top.
33:41I just think he's controlling the pace,
33:42and he's evened up this fight on my scorecard.
33:44And I got more bad news to add.
33:47Smalls just landed his best punch,
33:49which is that right hand.
33:50Ramos ate that up and just kept coming.
33:53That's a bad sign for a guy
33:54that has momentum coming his way.
33:59Ramos already has three draws on his record.
34:02Could we be heading to his fourth
34:04and our second of the night?
34:06And that's the thing.
34:06Whenever you see fighters with a lot of draws,
34:08they know how to keep this fight tight.
34:10They know how to come back
34:11from being down on rounds.
34:13They know how to be competitive,
34:14even on a championship level.
34:16Oh, there's that overhead right.
34:18The knees are wobbly.
34:20Can Ramos take advantage?
34:25Smalls backed against the ropes.
34:28But this could be the chance
34:29Ramos was looking for.
34:31He doesn't want it to go to the scorecards.
34:32He's always on the wrong end, it seems.
34:35And they told Ramos that a knockout
34:37is around the corner.
34:38They saw Tamir Smalls shrinking and shrinking,
34:42getting tired and not taking the punches
34:44as long as he was.
34:46Blood coming out of Smalls' mouth
34:48now.
34:48A minute to go in round nine.
34:51Still not all there is Tamir Smalls.
34:54Ramos should go back to the body right now.
34:55That's what opened up that overhead shot.
34:59Smalls has never had to dig deep like this.
35:03I mean, that was two good shots
35:05to the body right there.
35:06He is not stopping throwing those body shots.
35:09Smalls is hurt, has been hurt,
35:12and it started from bottom up.
35:14Abel Ramos has a hurt man in front of him
35:17and it starts to the body.
35:19Abelita needs to keep digging downstairs.
35:21And to your point,
35:22you saw the left-hand land for Smalls
35:24that had nothing behind it.
35:27As Ramos is like a locomotive,
35:29it just took him a while
35:30to get those wheels churning.
35:32The first four rounds,
35:34he basically gave away to Tamir Smalls.
35:39We knew this was going to be a big test
35:41for the 16-0 Tamir Smalls,
35:44the unproven Smalls,
35:45and it's proven right.
35:47He has his...
35:48Both hands are full,
35:49and he has a locomotive in front of him.
35:53What a round for Abel Ramos!
36:05He's cool, Tamir.
36:07He's cool, Tamir.
36:08He's cool.
36:08He's a little little, son.
36:09Come on.
36:10We ain't worried about that.
36:11Listen, we good.
36:13I mean, I need you to press him
36:14a little bit this way,
36:15but I need you to stay tight, Tam.
36:17You hear me?
36:18I need you to stay tight.
36:19Keep your hands up.
36:19Listen.
36:20Don't worry about that.
36:22Don't worry about that.
36:23I need you to stay tight.
36:24I need you to push him back, Ty.
36:26You hear me?
36:27Don't let the heel get strong when you go back.
36:29And it's the bodywork that's taking the fight
36:32away from Smalls.
36:33That right hand landed because early investments to the body of Abel Ramos.
36:38Nice short shots like that to the chin are taking away the fight of Tamir Smalls.
36:44Here are those bodywork.
36:45Clean shots like that.
36:46Elbows right open.
36:47Ramos took advantage of that, and he felt that.
36:56Ramos told us yesterday, I'll test him like no one has before.
36:59My experience will be huge.
37:01I've got the power edge.
37:03Don't be surprised if I don't stop him late.
37:06Let's see if he can do it in the final round.
37:08And some urgency right out of the gate from Smalls.
37:12Throwing punches right away.
37:13Has to know it's a competitive fight.
37:15It is.
37:15I've got an 86-85 in favor of Ramos on my scorecard.
37:19The first lead of the fight comes after that ninth round where he wobbled Smalls with that right hand.
37:25Smalls gonna have to dig deep here over these final two-plus minutes.
37:28And Ramos still not giving up going downstairs.
37:30You gotta love it.
37:32That's a true veteran right there.
37:33Oh, nice right hand split the guard there from Ramos.
37:36He is really feeling it right now.
37:39And a good start to the round for Smalls.
37:41But then he goes right back into kind of the defensive posture that he's been in.
37:45Good left hook from Ramos.
37:49Coffee box numbers.
37:51Power shots landed to the body.
37:5343 for Ramos.
37:5414 for Smalls.
37:56And that investment to the body is what switched this fight around.
38:00First half was all Tamir Smalls.
38:02Second half was all Abel Ramos.
38:03That's when the body shots pay their dividends.
38:06Ramos looks like he's got plenty left in the tank, guys.
38:09Hey, this is a guy that has gone the 12-round distance multiple times in his career.
38:14He is not uncomfortable in these types of situations.
38:17This is what he was talking about.
38:18Again, he knew that he would have to go through some fire early on.
38:21He did that, and he has seized control despite the second half.
38:24The technique and the defense of Smalls is out the window.
38:28He is tired.
38:29He is fatigued.
38:30And Abel Ramos is just missing big punches that can drop Tamir Smalls.
38:35In his last fight, Smalls said he thought he could have done more.
38:38Felt like he could have fought 10 more rounds after that fight was done.
38:41He's not feeling that way in this fight, I guarantee.
38:44No, he's fighting underwater now.
38:45You can see how tired Smalls is right now, and Ramos can take advantage of this.
38:57Nice punch, a good clean left.
39:00Smalls goes down, they'll call it a trip.
39:05The layers are starting to fail, Tamir Smalls.
39:08The conditioning is starting to fail him.
39:11Abel Ramos is all him right now.
39:14Did Smalls do enough early to maybe get a draw?
39:17Because late, it's been all about this tough Mexican.
39:2530 seconds to go.
39:27Another right hand.
39:31And the crowd loving this action.
39:34Loving this momentum shift by Abel Ramos.
39:42Slamming his gloves together, coming forward,
39:44continuing to attack is Ramos.
39:48Will Abel Ramos get a decision?
39:53It has been very difficult for him for the course of his career
39:58to come out of the right hand of these scorecards.
40:01What a close to the show for Abel Ramos.
40:04He looked lost and confused and outclasped through four rounds,
40:10but something changed, Sergio.
40:12Something changed in his experience.
40:14That's when experience takes over.
40:15Youth controls the first half of the fight.
40:18Experience dominates the end.
40:20And you can see Abel Ramos is bringing with confidence
40:23and might have just taken this fight.
40:28Well, Chris, it feels like all four of those first rounds were easy to score for Smalls.
40:34Did you see another round on the way home that maybe he picked up to get a draw?
40:38I thought he might have squeezed out one of those rounds.
40:42But for the most part, from that fifth round on, it was all Abel Ramos.
40:47You see him there being congratulated by the great Julio Cesar Chavez.
40:52Chavez knows what he saw in this fight.
40:55This was a guy that struggled getting inside the jab early on,
40:58struggled with the longer, younger fighter.
41:01But as this fight progressed, his experience took over,
41:04his game plan started to work, and he put that work in.
41:08I think he did enough to win this decision.
41:12What a battle we have coming your way in April.
41:14On the fourth of the month, Derek Warchisora and Deontay,
41:19the bronze bomber Wilder, are set to collide.
41:23The heavyweight showdown is fittingly titled 100,
41:26as it marks a historic milestone as both fighters step in the ring
41:30for their 50th professional bouts.
41:33Who do you give the edge to in that one, Sergio?
41:37Warchisora, baby. He's on the momentum run.
41:40And I think it's his time.
41:42I think it's finally his time to do something great.
41:49Is Tamir Smalls about to suffer his first professional loss?
41:55We're about to find out David Diamante has the scores.
42:11Ladies and gentlemen, after 10 rounds of action here in Glendale,
42:16we go to the judges' scorecards.
42:21Dennis O'Connell, 98 to 92, Ramos.
42:30Eric Curcio, 96, 94, Smalls.
42:39Steve Weisfeld scored this contest 97 to 93 for your winner by split decision.
42:47And the new Javier Camero, North American World-Away Champion,
42:56Abel Ramos.
43:02Abel Ramos.
43:04The man that has come so close to winning the biggest fights on the championship level.
43:10Finally gets a win against an undefeated prospect in Tamir Smalls.
43:15A new father, a gatekeeper in his career.
43:19Finally, two arms raised in the air in victory and a smile on his face.
43:23And he did it the old school way, Sergio.
43:26A grind it out.
43:27I'll outwork you.
43:29I'll out-hustle you.
43:31I'll out-fight you down the stretch.
43:33Man, I got chills right now.
43:34I love seeing good guys.
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