Cuban former world champion Robeisy Ramirez is set for his ring return against Mexico’s Brandon Leon Benitez on Saturday, June 29. The pair squares off in the co-feature on the card topped by Teofimo Lopez vs Steve Claggett live on ESPN. The event takes place at James L. Knight Center in Miami, Florida. The bout is scheduled for 10 rounds at featherweight.
Las Vegas-based Ramirez (13-2, 8 KOs) looks to return to winning ways. The 30-year-old southpaw lost his WBO featherweight title by majority decision against Rafael Espinoza last December in Pembroke Pines, Florida. Before that, he stopped Satoshi Shimizu in the fifth round and and earned a unanimous decision against Isaac Dogboe to land the vacant belt.
“Last December, we put on an action-packed battle, a worthy ‘Fight of the Year’ candidate,” Robeisy Ramirez said. “While the result was unexpected, we also proved to the boxing world just how amazing a Miami crowd can be. On June 29, I will begin my quest to recapture my world title and return to the top, where I know I belong. It’s Cuba vs. Mexico again, and I’m excited to have the loyal support of the Cuban community of Miami.”
Benitez (21-2, 9 KOs) targets his eighth straight victory. Mexico’s 26-year-old was in action last December in Long Beach, CA, scoring the sixth-round KO against Rigoberto Hermosillo. Prior to that, he stopped Federico Sebastian Pedraza in the seventh round and took a split decision against former world champion Can Xu.
“I’m grateful for the opportunity to show that I belong among the best of the division,” Brandon Leon Benitez said. “But I want Robeisy Ramirez to know that this is nothing new to me. I know what it’s like to go on enemy turf against a tough former world champion. Like I did with Can, I’m going to make it a tough night for Ramirez. I respect him as a fighter, but as soon as I get in the ring, I’m not going to stop throwing punches until my hand is raised.”
In the main event, two-division world champion Teofimo Lopez (20-1, 13 KOs) faces Steve Claggett (38-7-2, 26 KOs). The Brooklyn native makes the second defense of his WBO super lightweight title against the contender of Canada.
Also featured on the Lopez vs Claggett undercard, a rematch between Nico Ali Walsh (10-1, 5 KOs) of Chicago and Sona Akale (9-1, 4 KOs) of Minneapolis. Akale defeated Walsh by majority decision after six rounds at middleweight last August.