Two-time Olympic gold medalist Robeisy ‘El Tren’ Ramirez 11-1 (7) will get his first crack at a world title when he faces Isaac ‘Royal Storm’ Dogboe 24-2 (15) for the vacant WBO featherweight title at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Tulsa, Oklahoma on April 1.
The 29-year-old Cuban southpaw has gone undefeated since his pro debut in August 2019.
Ramirez has joined forces with famed Cuban trainer Ismael Salas, who has helped channel his talents into a more professional style. As a result, Ramirez scored three consecutive knockout wins in 2022.
He stopped Irish veteran Eric Donovan and starched then-unbeaten contender Abraham Nova with a single straight left hand. Last October, he defeated Jose Matias Romero via ninth-round TKO.
Ramirez will face the stiffest test of his career against the 28-year-old Dogboe, a Ghanaian former super bantamweight world champion who hopes to conquer a second weight class.
Dogboe has slotted in well to the 126-pound division, winning four fights in a row against solid opposition since moving up in weight in July 2020.
Following a recent training session, Ramirez explained what his first world title shot means to him.
“Main event. World championship on the line. This is what I have always wanted and have asked for since I became a professional boxer,” Ramirez said.
“I see this fight as the perfect stage from which to present my credentials to the world and make the case that I am the best fighter in the featherweight division.
“For me, life has always been about continuously being hungry. Talent alone is not enough at this level. True success means continuing to evolve, moving ahead, and conquering hurdles and failures to become great.
“I’ve experienced true hardship in life, so moving up to the mountains for a few weeks won’t break me. It will only make me stronger, like all of the difficulties I endured on the road to where I am.
“I am proud of my career as an amateur and being a product of the ‘Cuban School of Boxing’. But I have always added my own elements to the equation. I want to come forward and entertain, too.
“’El Tren’ is not just a nickname, it characterises who I am as a fighter. At the end of the day, boxing is for the fans. And if they find my style agreeable, I will not shy away from the responsibility of leading the way for many others who want to break the mold of the highly skilled but boring Cuban boxer.
“On April 1, I will fulfill the goal of becoming world champion, but I am convinced that my greatest accomplishments in this sport are ahead of me.”
Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Holden Productions, tickets starting at $49.50 are on sale now and available to purchase at www.hardrockcasinotulsa.com.
