Jose Ramirez and Viktor Postol will finally clash after having their fight dashed twice due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Ramirez will defend his unified WBC/WBO junior welterweight titles against Postol at the MGM Grand Conference Center in Las Vegas on Saturday night. Ramirez was set to face his WBC mandatory challenger Feb. 2 in China and May 9 in Fresno, Calif., but both bouts were scratched due to the COVID-19 global crisis. After those false starts, Ramirez is happy to finally have the opportunity to show the world why he's arguably the best that boxing has to offer at 140 pounds.
"I’m excited to finally be back. It’s always an honor stepping into the ring, fighting a guy like Postol and defending my belts,” Ramirez said in a recent Top Rank press release. “God knows that my goal is to become the undisputed champion and this gets me one step closer to my goal."
Ramirez hasn't fought since his sixth-round TKO of Maurice Hooker to become the unified world champ last July, but Top Rank chairman Bob Arum is confident that his 13-month layoff won't affect him Saturday night.
"I have no doubt we will see the best version of Jose Ramirez, a wonderful young man and one of the world’s best fighters," Arum said. "He will need to be on his game because Postol is a worthy contender who has proven himself at the world-class level.”
Postol, of course, would like nothing more than to crown himself the new unified world champion in what would be a big upset.
“I'm just looking forward to fighting," Postol said. "I'm coming to win those world titles. I have been training since this fight was first announced, so I'm focused and ready to go.”
Jose Ramirez vs. Viktor Postol fight date, start time
- Date: Saturday, Aug. 29
- Undercard: 7:30 p.m. ET
- Main card: 10 p.m. ET
The Ramirez vs. Postol undercard kicks off at 7:30 p.m. ET followed by the main card, beginning at 10 p.m. ET. Arnold Barboza Jr. vs. Tony Luis in a junior welterweight tilt will serve as the co-feature to start the main card.
How to watch, live stream Ramirez vs. Postol
- ESPN+
You can watch the Ramirez vs. Postol undercard and main card live on ESPN+, which is $5.99 a month or $49.99 annually. Current subscribers can watch the fight as part of their plan.
Where is the Ramirez vs. Postol fight?
The Ramirez vs. Postol fight will be held at the MGM Grand Conference Center in Las Vegas. Top Rank just held its Joe Smith Jr. vs. Eleider Alvarez bout at the venue last weekend. While Ramirez and Postol have each fought in Las Vegas before, this will mark the first time that each junior welterweight competes in "The Bubble," as it has affectionately been referred to during the coronavirus pandemic.
Jose Ramirez record and bio
- Nationality: American
- Born: Aug. 12, 1992
- Height: 5-10
- Reach: 72 1/2 inches
- Total fights: 25
- Record: 25-0 with 17 knockouts
Viktor Postol record and bio
- Nationality: Ukrainian
- Born: Jan. 16, 1984
- Height: 5-11
- Reach: 73 1/2 inches
- Total fights: 33
- Record: 31-2 with 12 knockouts
Ramirez vs. Postol fight card
Main card
- Jose Ramirez vs. Viktor Postol for Ramirez' WBC/WBO junior welterweight titles
- Arnold Barboza Jr. vs. Tony Luis; Junior welterweight
Undercard
- Anthony Chavez vs. Chris Zavala; Junior lightweight
- Elvis Rodriguez vs. Cody Wilson; Welterweight
- Gabriel Muratalla vs. Justice Bland; Bantamweight
- Cesar Valenzuela vs. Raymond Muratalla; Lightweight
- Rance Ward vs. Javier Martinez; Middleweight