Robeisy Ramirez says he will be at his best in his rematch with Rafael Espinoza on Saturday and will reclaim his WBO featherweight title in their clash at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona. This fight is about Cuban Robeisy (14-2, 9 KOs) getting back to where he should be at the top, holding the WBO belt and taking on the other champions at 126.

Can Espinoza repeat himself?

Ramirez shouldn’t have lost to the punchable 6-foot-2 Espinoza on Dec. 9 last year, but he wasn’t in great shape. Two-time Olympic gold medalist Robeisy was not at 100% and faded down the stretch. In the 12th round he suffered a knee due to fatigue while being attacked by Espinoza.

Fatigue caused Robeisy to lose by a 12-round majority decision on points:

– 113-113
– 114-112
– 115-111

Even if Ramirez wasn’t at his best, he could have easily won by fifth-round knockout because he dropped Espinoza. When the Mexican fighter got back up, he collapsed on the ropes. Normally referees stop a fight when a fighter is in this condition, but this referee allowed the fight to continue. Espinoza is an accidental champion and in most cases he wouldn’t be.

The round ended before Robeisy could pounce on Espinoza and finish him off. In both cases it was Espinoza’s luck that he survived fifth place. It was his luck, but he may not survive the second leg on Saturday evening as Robeisy will attack him relentlessly like he did in the fifth game. There may not be a referee to save Espinoza this time.

“Back where I belong”

“The reality is that it wasn’t the best version of me and I was still able to put on a great show and that’s why the second fight will be better,” Robeisy Ramirez told Sky Sports, speaking about his last fight against Rafael Espinoza of the year on December 9th.

“I will return to where I should be.” I didn’t see myself losing. In the last round he didn’t land a punch that put me in a bad position. I fell, if you see the replay, I fell because I was tired,” Robeisy continued.

“Now I have to win my title back and I will be ready to compete against any of the champions there. There’s no problem fighting any of them.”