“He was a very good runner in the ring,” laughed Ramirez.Īfter this setback, Ramirez’s manager-trainer, Ramon Felix, brokered a deal with the Acaries brothers that allowed the former titleholder to stayed active in France.

Ramirez dropped the title to another Puerto Rican star Hector Camacho in his first defense in August 1985. When the fight was over, the Puerto Rican fans were provoking me and my team, but we had protection so nothing happened.” “I went down twice in the early rounds and came back to win by knockout. “The rematch against Edwin Rosario in Puerto Rico was the best win in my whole career,” Ramirez said proudly. He stopped Rosario in the fourth round of a wild fight. The two met in a rematch 18 months later and this time Ramirez would not be denied. When the great Arguello moved up in weight, he relinquished his WBC crown and Ramirez was matched with fellow-big puncher Edwin Rosario for the vacant belt in San Juan, Puerto Rico in May 1983.Īfter a slow start Ramirez grew into the fight but it wasn’t enough and he lost a close unanimous decision. Ramirez went on to defend his Mexican title and he also annexed the NABF belt. “And Arguello told me after this fight that he was going for the title and that if he won he would give me a rematch but he never did.”Īfter getting back to winning ways, Ramirez met the hugely popular Ray Mancini in a de facto eliminator to face Arguello in the summer of 1981 but he dropped a wide decision. “I remember when the fight was over, I told Arguello, ‘They gave you this decision,'” Ramirez revealed. Ramirez performed admirably but dropped a 10-round split decision that he still contests. “Zurdo” returned to action quickly, posting 24 consecutive wins and claiming the Mexican lightweight title, which helped earn him a bout against boxing superstar Alexis Arguello in Miami, Florida in November 1980.

It would be the only time in the iron-jawed Mexican’s career that he would lose inside the distance. It was supposed to be a passing of the torch, however, nobody told the old warrior and he sensationally knocked out Ramirez inside two rounds. In April 1978, Ramirez, who was still a teenager, found himself matched again bantamweight and featherweight great Ruben Olivares.

Edwin rosario royal palm