LOS ANGELES (October 29, 2024) – Super flyweight contender John “Scrappy” Ramirez (13-1, 9 KOs) learned an invaluable lesson last June at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, when he lost for the first time as a professional to Fernando David Jimenez (16-1), by way of a 12-round unanimous decision, for the vacant World Boxing Association (WBA) Super Flyweight title.

Unless your last name is Marciano, Mayweather, Calzaghe, Lopez or Ward, prizefighters generally don’t retire without a loss on their record. How a fighter responds to his or her first defeat is pivotal, because they either learn from the experience and improve, or go the opposite direction.

“Scrappy” Ramirez is coming back to the ring with a vengeance, as well as a new outlook for the South Los Angeles fighter.

“I learned I have what it takes to be world champion,” Ramirez said. “I took the loss and, instead of complaining, right after that fight I started to think about what had happened and why. I have the skills and I’m capable of being world champion, but I fought his (Jimenez) fight. My next fight I won’t be fighting on emotion, I’ll be using my brain. I need to use my brain, not my heart. It was a good fight and entertaining, but it wasn’t my night. Personally, I gained confidence, as crazy as that may sound in a loss. I know I belong here.

“I want to fix what went wrong. I have high expectations and so do my fans because they see my talent. I’ve only been fighting eight years. I get mad sometimes because I haven’t mastered my craft, but it takes time. I have to keep going and embrace my training.”

For the first time in his relatively short pro career – he made his debut December 18, 2020 – the WBA No. 6 rated Ramirez will be training for the first time after a loss at Brickhouse Boxing Club in North Hollywood, California.

“I’m not training as hard every day because I’m taking better care of my body,” Ramirez explained. “I’ve come up with some new things by studying old-school fighters like Sugar Ray Leonard and Tommy Hearns. I’m fine-tuning my skills. I made a mistake fighting with my heart instead of my head. No drastic changes in my training, though. I’m working on throwing more counters. I’m a big 115-pounder who just walked down my opponent. I’m going to use my jab – I have a good one – and my feet instead of sitting in the pocket and catching everything.

“It’s all part of the process. I’m not happy it (loss) happened. I lost my first world title fight and in my second I’ll be the winner and show everybody the type of character I have as a man. I’ll take the next opportunity to show my growth”

According to the 28-year-old Ramirez, the plan is for him to have two more fights, hopefully one by the end of this year, before he’s in another world title fight, preferably against Jimenez, assuming he still has the strap.

“I want a rematch with this guy (Jimenez), partly because he has the belt, but to prove to myself I can beat him,” Ramirez admitted. “He did everything we saw on film: he came forward and didn’t tire. No surprises. I need to fight my fight, not his, to prove myself to the world. ‘Scrappy’ needs to fight his fight!

“I’ve reflected on that fight, and I was capable of beating him. He has a big amateur pedigree, so it was a confidence builder for me in defeat.”

In retrospect, everything may have happened too fast for “Scrappy,” who has only been fighting eight years, including a brief stint as an amateur, and then he was moved quickly in the pro ranks, even fighting several times during the COVID pandemic. Before you knew it, he was headlining shows and found himself in the enviable position as undefeated WBA mandatory contender.  

“Everything really happened so fast,” Ramirez concluded, “but I now know that it takes a long time to master my craft. I’m enjoying this process and I’m happy right now. I got used to things happening fast for me. I’m trusting the process. I chose this life.

“I’m not running away from this situation, and I’ll handle it the next time I fight for the world title. I can’t blame anybody for what happened, because once I step into the ring, it’s just me and my opponent. I screwed up but the next world title shot I’ll get it right.”

“Scrappy” Ramirez is a charter member of 3 Point Management (3 PM), which has a growing stable of gifted boxers including WBA Cruiserweight World Champion Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez (46-1, 30 KOs), WBA No. 6-rated super middleweight Darius “DFG” Fulgham (12-0, 10 KOs), and former WBA Inter-Continental Light Heavyweight Champion Kareem “Supreme” Hackett (12-1, 6 KOs).

INFORMATION:

Website: www.3pointmanagement.com

Facebook: /JohnRamirez

Instagram: @3pointmanagement, @Scrappyboxing

INDIO, CA (January 27, 2023) – One of boxing’s most energetic and fan-friendly fighters, NABA Super Flyweight Titleholder John “Scrappy” Ramirez (10-0, 8 KOs) of Los Angeles will headline the first Golden Boy Fight Night on DAZN show of the year at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino on Thursday, February 23. Ramirez will defend his NABA title against Luis “Callado” Padilla (15-3-2, 2 KOs) of Guadalajara, Mexico. The event will be broadcast live worldwide on DAZN beginning at 6:00 p.m. PT / 9:00 p.m. ET. 

“Excited is an understatement. When I left football for boxing I always envisioned a stage like this to showcase my hard work and dedication and I’m sincerely grateful to have the opportunity now,” said “Scrappy” Ramirez. “It has been a long road to get here but I want to thank my team, Golden Boy, DAZN, the WBA and Mr. Gilberto Ramírez, Oscar and Eric, and all my fans and supporters from across the world for this opportunity. This is just the beginning and I can’t wait to headline this show at Fantasy Springs on DAZN.”

“As promised, Golden Boy is delivering the best fight nights,” said Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions Oscar De La Hoya. “On February 23, fight fans will get to see talented, rising prospects who have star potential. Scrappy Ramirez is a prime example of that – the fans will be able to feel the energy he brings as our special main event.”

Tickets for Ramirez vs. Padilla go on-sale today, January 27 at 10 a.m. PT and are priced at $65, $55, $45 and $25 plus applicable fees. Tickets can be purchased at FantasySpringsResort.com or GoldenBoyPromotions.com 

As chief support of the card, Coachella Valley’s beloved, undefeated local fighter Manuel “El Meny” Flores (14-0, 11 KOs) will measure up against Mangua, Nicaragua’s Marvin Solano (24-8, 8 KOs). The eight-round bantamweight fight will be guaranteed action, as Flores’s last six fights have all been knockouts. 

Information on the undercard will be announced in the coming weeks. 

Media interested in a credential for the fight must fill out a credential application by Monday, Feb. 20. To apply, please visit https://bit.ly/2-23GBFN. 

###

Golden Boy Fight Night on DAZN is presented by Golden Boy Promotions. The event is sponsored by “BetOnline – Your Online Sportsbook Experts.” The event will be available worldwide to all subscribers on DAZN, both live and on demand.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com and DAZN.com. Follow on Twitter @GoldenBoyBoxing and @DAZNBoxing. Become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoy and https://www.facebook.com/DAZN. Follow on Instagram @GoldenBoy and @DAZNBoxing. Follow the conversation using #GBFightNight

LOS ANGELES (January 12, 2022) – Undefeated bantamweight prospect John “Scrappy” Ramirez (8-0, 7 KOs), the second boxer signed to 3 Point Management (3PM) which also manages 43-0 Gilberto “Zurdo” Promotions, was arguably the most active boxer in the United States in 2021 with seven professional fights, including three on high-profile platforms headlined by “Zurdo,” the former World Super Middleweight Champion, and today the top-ranked World light heavyweight contender.

“’Scrappy’ is a hard-working kid that I’ve known for a while now and it’s great to have him around,” Zurdo commented. ”He brings a larger-than-life personality, and his flare is often well-received. I believe if he continues to work hard and stays in the gym, the sky is the limit. We know he’s a true athlete and I would put him against anyone in the bantamweight division.”

“Scrappy” made his pro debut December 18, 2020, on a pay-per-view event promoted and headlined by “Zurdo.” Two fights later, “Scrappy” fought in his first scheduled 6-rounder, in addition to a slated 8-round bout in only his sixth pro fight.

“Scrappy” and “Zurdo” are not related, however, they’re close and as the 25-year-old John explained, “With us it’s little bro and big bro. He may not be working my corner, usually because he’s fighting later on the same card, but I’m with him every day we’re training at Brickhouse (Boxing), and he’s always giving me tips and support. I live in downtown Los Angeles only a 15-minute drive from the gym in North Hollywood. It has it all and the real beauty of it is that it attracts fighters to spar and train with, especially when fighters are there for their training camp. We just had ‘Zurdo,’ David Benavidez, and 4-time world champion Brian Viloria, who is there as a trainer, for our last fight.

‘I feel good knowing I was the second fighter signed by 3 Point Management. Now, we have other fighters in our stable and that brings more competition. I want to be the best and, even though we’re on the same team, I want to go out there and do what it takes to be the best fighter I can be. I’m with ‘Zurdo” every day I’m in the gym and I watch him. He makes everything look easy, effortless, and that’s beautiful. He put his trust in me and I want to show him it was a good decision. I take great pride in being the first fighter they signed.”’

Ramirez’ long, arduous journey to this point started on the gridiron not in a ring, when he was a key member of the Lincoln High football team, profiled in a 2015 documentary, “ESPN 60: Letterman.” The players were from a crime-ridden part of Hollywood that was riddled with drugs and guns. Ramirez was a 5’ 4”, 160-pound running back on a team that, starting in Pop Warner competition, then advancing to Lincoln High, which hadn’t experienced success in football. Lincoln High went on to become a 3-time league champion, highlighted by semifinals playoff appearance in his senior year, eventually leading “Scrappy” to a roster spot Los Angeles Valley College’s football team.

Despite being warned he’d be red-shirted as a freshman, Ramirez played on the varsity as a true freshman but, after his first season, “Scrappy” wasn’t happy with his playing time nor the business side of college football. “Scrappy” soon found himself in what he described as a “dark place” for months, trying to figure out what he wanted to do with his life. He tried to enlist in all four military branches, but was rejected because, he said, due to all the tattoos on his body and their visual placements. One day, he heard a friend’s voice from the past saying, ‘Go to a gym.’ Despite having no experience in boxing, he walked into the famed Wild Card Gym to speak with Hall of Fame trainer, owner Freddie Roach, who told Ramirez training would be hard and that he’d need to start as an amateur boxer. His work ethic was admirable and because he was a gifted athlete, everything soon clicked, and he became a student of boxing. Ramirez had 25 amateur matches, capturing top honors in the Sugar Bert National Championships, as well as in the regional Golden Gloves and SoCal tournaments.

“I was on the right track,” Ramirez added. “Everything I learned in football from Coach Muskaki Matsumoto (Lincoln High) I applied in boxing like discipline. I trained hard every day and there was no wasted time.”

Ramirez moved to New York City because a boxing friend of his had a manager there willing to help “Scrappy” make his pro debut. Unfortunately, though, the pandemic quarantine went into effect, canceling his scheduled pro debut only one week prior to its scheduled date. Ramirez stayed in Churchill Gym, sparring and training, still hopeful of making his pro debut in the Big Apple. He eventually returned to Los Angeles and several weeks before the inaugural Zurdo Promotions event in Galveston, Texas, he received what is now a life-changing call from Zurdo’s manager, David Suh.

Scrappy action.jpg
“Before I went to New York City, I had talked to David about making my pro debut,” Ramirez added. “He remembered when I came back to LA and asked if I wanted to make my pro debut on December 18th (2020). I believe everything happens for a reason. I had become friends with Julian Chua at Wild Card. He saw me working at the gym and liked my work ethic. He gave me pointers and told me that one day we’d be working together. Julian became Zurdo’s head trainer and now he’s mine, too.”

His impressive pro-debut performance – first-round KO — led to enticing “Scrappy” into signing a managerial contract with 3 Point Management.

“Scrappy” says he’s an exciting, unique fighter from his ring walk to his outfit, as well as the way he fights. “I bring Bad Intentions into the ring,” he added. “It’s fun! I’m a chess player who always plans ahead. I’m versatile and able to adapt in the ring, which is super important. I want to take your soul!”

“’Scrappy’ not only has the skills,” Chua added, “he has the charisma and showmanship it takes to be a real star in this sport. Don’t confuse confidence with arrogance. He takes his training with a world championship attitude.”

A self-proclaimed student of boxing, “Scrappy” has particular enjoyed watching and studying Hector Camacho, Edwin Valero, Adrien Broner, Canelo Alvarez, Gervonta Davis, Vasyl Lomachenko, and, of course, “Zurdo” Ramirez.

“I am destined,” Ramirez concluded. “I’ve seen all this. I visualized, planned, and created these experiences before they happened. I was one of the most active fighters in the nation last year. My goal for 2022 is to stay busy, keep learning, and make statements. I’d like to have 6 more fights, get ranked, and bring home a championship belt. I will keep winning and give people a show.

INFORMATION:

Website: www.ZurdoPromotions.com

Facebook: /JohnRamirez

Instagram: @zurdoramirez, @zurdopromotions, @Scrappyboxing

Twitter: @ZurdoPromotions, @GilbertoZurdoRamirez