Inspired By Family Legacy

Abel Ramos lived in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, for a year after his birth before their family moved to Casa Grande, Arizona, to be closer to their native Mexico.

“My Dad wanted to be closer to Mexico so that we could go back-and-forth visiting our family over there,” said Ramos, nicknamed “Abelito” by his family.

“My family members were always fans of boxing before my two older brothers and current coaches, Jesus and Efrain, started boxing as amateurs. I was 13 when I had my first amateur fight.”

Ramos placed third in both the USA Boxing Tournament and National Golden Gloves and won his bout in the Mexico versus Puerto Rico duals, all in 2010.

Ramos has campaigned as a professional over weights ranging from 139 ½ to 152, deciding to make a permanent rise from junior welterweight to welterweight in 2017 after his second loss.

Following his 139 ½-pound debut in the form of a four-round unanimous decision over Derrick Saenz Lopez in September 2011, “Abelito” went 5-0 with three knockouts in 2012 comprising first-, first- and second-round stoppages of Cody Huard (February), Joel Gonzalez (April) and Cassius Clay (May) that preceded back-to-back four-round unanimous decisions over Jose Torres in June and November.

Ramos won twice more in 2013, his second-round knockout of Richard Colas Quesada (July) and unanimous decision over Carlos Vila (September), vanquishing a pair of undefeated fighters to improve his mark to 8-0 with four knockouts. 

The year 2014 brought a record of 2-0-2, with third- and second-round TKOs of Rudolfo Amenta (March) and Anthony Woods (November) following draws with unbeaten future champion Maurice Hooker (January) and Levan “The Wolf” Ghvamichava (May).

Ghvamichava and Hooker were major steps up in class for Ramos, respectively entering at 11-1 with eight knockouts and 12-0-1 with nine knockouts. 

“I was the opponent in the Hooker fight, which I took on a week’s notice,” said Ramos, who slipped to 10-0-2 with six knockouts after Ghvamichava. “I felt like I did enough to win both fights, but looking at the replays and everything, I think a draw was good for us.”

REBOUNDING FROM DEFEAT

Ramos went 4-1 with three knockouts in 2015. In April, he won a six-round unanimous decision over Ramesis Gil. Then he scored successive knockouts of Martin Angel Martinez (May), Roberto Ramirez (June) and Mario Hermosillo (September) before losing to Regis Prograis in Decemnber. 

“I consider myself a come-forward fighter who is aggressive with good head movement, but I can box whenever I need to. But going into that fight, we moved our camp to Chicago,” said Ramos.  “It was wintertime and cold, so I was getting sick just about every day there. But I was sort of young at the time of that loss, not really focused, sort of going through the motions and not really loving boxing at the time.”

A revitalized Ramos stopped all three opponents in 2016 to improve to 17-1-2 (12 KOs). It began in April with a 97-second KO of Javier Mercado; then a fifth-round TKO of previously unbeaten Dario Ferman (May) and a sixth-round retirement of Juan Jesus Rivera Garces (August).

Ramos went 1-1 in 2017 over the course of two more tough fights, losing a brawl by unanimous decision to then-unbeaten Russian future champion Ivan Baranchyk (February) before handling Mexican southpaw Emanuel Robles (July).

Ramos was floored twice before scoring a knockdown of his own against Baranchyk, who improved to 16-0 (10 KOs), while Robles was stopped for the first time despite entering at 15-2-1 with five stoppages. 

“The Baranchyk fight was a war. I tried everything to beat him but he was just the better man that night. Baranchyk was my last fight at 140,” said Ramos. “I remember being super-drained after the weight cut, but I gained a lot of experience, realizing that I had a lot in me that I didn’t know I had. It showed me that I was made for this sport.”

NEVER GIVING UP

Ramos fought at career-high six times in 2018, his searing five consecutive stoppages following a majority decision loss to Jamal James (April) in the winner’s hometown of Minneapolis, Minnesota. 

What followed were TKOs of Alvaro Ortiz Diaz (May), Jorge Luis Babuca (June), Hector Mendoza (August) and Fidel Damian Lopez (September) in the third, second, fifth and second rounds as well as an 82-second stoppage of an unknown fighter at a career-high 152 pounds in October. 

“Between Jamal James, Ivan Baranchyk and Regis Prograis, there were no easy fights and they were all great tests,” said Ramos. “The loss to James was significant because it was only my second fight within the welterweight division, it was in his hometown and it showed me I can compete at that weight.”Ramos continued to impress over his last three fights, the first couple being in 2019 comprising a 10-round unanimous decision over tough journeyman Francisco Santana (March) and a fourth-round TKO of slick Jimmy Williams (July).

Ramos followed up those victories with a more dramatic one in February over 6-foot-1 southpaw Bryant Perrella, who entered their bout at 17-2 (14 KOs) but was stopped with a second remaining in the 10th and final round. 

Trailing by five points on two cards and three on another, Ramos floored Perrella with a devastating left uppercut, and, after he rose, a finishing right that dropped him once more. 

Referee Jack Reiss reached the count of nine and waved an end to the bout just as the 10-second, round-ending clapper sounded.

“I was sick for two weeks coming into the fight and figured by fight week that maybe I'd get better, but I didn't. I was having trouble breathing throughout the fight. But through all of my past experiences, I've learned to think positively and never give up on yourself. I kept telling myself 'You've just got to land that one punch to change the fight,'" said Ramos, a winner of eight straight fights, seven by stoppage.

"Finally, in the 10th round, it came. That was an amazing feeling to get that victory right at the end. Now I want all the welterweights. I feel as if I can hang with any of the top welterweights and give them a good fight, so that's what I want. I'm 100 percent into boxing, not doubting myself, and I really want to test myself. I’d like to have another big TV fight and go out there and prove that to the world."

Ramos wasn't so fortunate in next bout. On September 6, 2020, he fell short in his bid to capture the WBA world welterweight title, losing a 12-round split decision to Yordenis Ugas in a spirited affair. 

POWERING BACK TO THE TOP

On May 1, 2021, Ramos took on former lightweight champ Omar Figueroa in a 147-pound battle at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California, live on FOX Sports pay-per-view. Ramos looked as good as ever, stopping Figueroa in six one-sided rounds. 

Figueroa came out showing off a herky-jerky style and had success in the first round, out landing Ramos slightly with 12 power punches to Ramos’ 11. As the fight hit round three, Ramos appeared to figure out the timing of his opponent and began unloading a lethal right hand that he would eventually ride to victory.
 
That third round saw a significant bruise begin to develop under Figueroa’s left eye as a result of that Ramos right hand. Ramos kept up his momentum during rounds four and five, while Figueroa came out aggressive in round six, winging big power shots looking to turn the tide back in his favor.
 
However, Ramos stuck to his plan and pounded Figueroa with right hands to the head and body. In the final moments of the round, Ramos landed a series of right hands to the body that put Figueroa in clear pain heading back to his corner.
 
In between the sixth and seventh rounds, referee Jerry Cantu waived off the bout, at the suggestion of Figueroa’s corner. Ramos was the busier and more accurate fighter, out landing Figueroa 150 to 74, with a 34% to 24% edge in accuracy.
 
"I trained so hard for this fight,” said Ramos. “I knew my career was on the line. I knew I needed a win and I knew Omar would bring a good fight. I'm glad to be back on the winning side and I'm ready to take on the best of the division.”

On February 5, 2022 Ramos dropped a 10-round unanimous decision to Luke Santamaria in their welterweight encounter. Following a slow start, Santamaria found his footing, often switching from orthodox to southpaw and having success from both stances. Ramos was game throughout, but all three judges saw Santamaria winning clearly by scores of 98-92, 96-94 and 96-94.