By Norm Frauenheim –
For an emerging 22-year-old nephew, he’s a wise uncle. Uncle Abel. But don’t be misled. This uncle isn’t retired. And most of his wisdom is still evolving.
Abel Ramos is still seeking, fighting on in a stubborn quest for an elusive piece to his career.
At 31, the welterweight uncle to junior-middleweight prospect Jesus Ramos sounds more motivated than ever to gain a 147-pound title.
A bout against Cody Crowley March 25 on the Showtime pay-per-view card featuring fellow Arizona fighter David Benavidez against Caleb Plant at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand is an opportunity, another one, to move closer to a second chance at a belt.
Abel Ramos (27-5-2, 21 KOs) is still in his prime. But 30 isn’t 20. He’s at an age when the horizon begins to include fewer chances. That focuses the mind. Puts an edge on the motivation.
“I want to make a statement,’’ he said this week during a stop at Central Boxing in downtown Phoenix, about 50 miles from the Ramos home in Casa Grande.
Ramos said it with an easy smile and a quiet poise that includes no hint at the ever-present danger that defines his two-fisted, relentless ring style.
Translation: It’s unwise to ignore him.
For a while, he has been.
He’s been mostly forgotten since a split decision loss to Yordenis Ugas in September 2020 in Los Angeles for the World Boxing Association’s welterweight belt.
Against Crowley (21-0, 9 KOs), a Canadian, he has a chance to remind the division that he’s still there, still a force at 147-pounds.
In part, the narrow scorecard loss to Ugas drives Ramos. It represents an endless source of motivation.
“I thought I did enough to win,’’ said Ramos, who struggled to find a way to negate Ugas’ long, precise jab. “I watch it, and I can see that I could have done more. But I still thought I won.’’
A split decision often sets the stage for a rematch. Ramos lost 115-113 in two cards. He was a big winner on the third, 117-110, a surprising card that must have reflected moments when his power had Ugas in trouble. It’s that third card that said – says – there’s reason for a rematch.
So far, however there’s been no interest from Ugas.
“Not yet,’’ said Abel’s brother and trainer Jesus Sr, Jesus Jr.’s father.
Ugas is back in training in Las Vegas after suffering a fractured eye socket in a stoppage loss to Errol Spence last April.
Ugas wants to make a comeback. Perhaps in April, he says. But, Ugas says, he wants to fight only contenders. He mentioned Terence Crawford, Spence, Jaron Ennis and Virgil Ortiz during a Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) podcast interview with Michael Rosenthal and Kenneth Bouharie in late January.
“I want the top contenders,’’ the Cuban said in comments translated into English. “I believe I’m one of the best. I want to fight the best. Why hold back?”
For Abel Ramos, that means delivering proof that he still belongs. Proof positive would mean a big knockout, one that could force dominoes to fall in the balkanized business.
A sensational KO could lead to a ranking that might set up a so-called eliminator for a title shot.
It’s part politics and part crap-shoot, which is another of saying it’s boxing. Anything can happen, and it did in Ugas’ first fight after Ramos
In a stunner, Ugas went on to score a huge upset over fading legend Manny Pacquiao in May 2021. Ugas was a late stand-in for an injured Spence. He got the fight because Pacquiao wanted the WBA title that went to Ugas on a night when the cards fell his way.
That won’t happen again. History probably won’t get rewritten. If Ramos gets a big win and some bigger luck, however, it might get a rematch for a shot at a title and a real reason for a wise uncle to one day think it could have been him.
