When a two-time Gold Medalist hits the open market, and the “Big Four” don’t pull the trigger. Raizd Boxing is essentially a ghost ship right now. They are so new that they haven’t even held their first event yet.
As for why the giants stayed away, it likely boils down to a mix of timing, shelf life, and the current business change many of these companies are making.
At 126 lbs, 32 is on the older side. Promoters are notoriously wary of small fighters who have just suffered a career-altering stoppage. They might prefer to wait and see if he has anything left before committing to a multi-fight, high-dollar contract.
While Dana White is finally making moves, Zuffa has been aggressive with younger, hype-heavy talent like Edgar Berlanga and Richardson Hitchins. Ramirez is 32 and coming off a brutal knockout loss to Rafael Espinoza in December. Zuffa might view him as a damaged goods veteran rather than a foundational piece for their launch.
Ramirez may not carry the same shine he had when he defected from Cuba or when he beat Shakur Stevenson in the amateurs, but fighters with that kind of background rarely hit the open market.
His recent form likely played a part. Ramirez is 14-3 with nine knockouts and has lost two of his last three fights, both defeats coming against Rafael Espinoza, including a stoppage in their rematch. At 32, he is no longer a long-term project that can be developed slowly.
Still, there is a clear upside if handled right. Ramirez remains a skilled southpaw with pedigree, experience, and enough name value to become relevant again quickly at featherweight or beyond. If he strings together wins, bigger promoters may regret allowing a startup, Raizd, to make the first move.
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