Former Fresno State Bulldog and Olympian boxer Jose Ramirez is returning to Fresno for the Fight for Water 7.
The fight was announced last week and will be televised on ESPN. It’s scheduled for Nov. 11 at the Save Mart Center.
Ramirez (20-0, 15 KOs) is rated No. 5 in the world, and he will defend his World Boxing Council (WBC) Continental Americas super lightweight title against Mike “Yes Indeed” Reed (23-0, 12 KOs) of Waldorf, Maryland.
“I’m ready to show the world how hard I have worked and trained for this moment,” Ramirez said in a news release. “And to do it at home for my city — to bring awareness to our immigration issues and to get the Temperance Flat Dam built for water storage — makes it that much more important to me.”
Ramirez, of Avenal, last fought on May 5 in Reno, Nevada, winning with a second-round technical knockout. The former Bulldog’s two previous fights at the Save Mart Center in 2015 and 2016 were sold out.
“[Ramirez] is headlining the largest televised sporting event in our city’s history,” said Rick Mirigian, Ramirez’s adviser, in a news release. “The combination of ESPN’s coverage in a top-10 arena and a homecoming fight for a local hero on the big stage will make this a very special night.”
The card includes another undefeated world champion — Jessie Magdaleno (25-0) of Las Vegas. Magdaleno will defend his World Boxing Organization (WBO) junior featherweight title against Cesar Juarez (20-5, 15 KOs) of Mexico City.
The event’s promoter, Bob Arum, CEO of Top Rank, said Fresno is one of his favorite places to host fights.
“The fans are so great,” Arum said in a news release. “And you can’t fight for a better cause than for the water rights of the Central Valley farmers. They are America.”
