UPDATE, JULY 13, 2018: ESPN announced that Jose Ramirez will fight Antonio Orozco on Sept. 14 at Fresno’s Save Mart Center.
ORIGINAL STORY: World Boxing Council super lightweight champion Jose Ramirez’s next title defense will be on Sept. 14, according to promoter Bob Arum of Top Rank.
Ramirez was scheduled to defend his title last Saturday night against Danny O’Connor, but the bout was called off on Friday. According to Arum, O’Connor collapsed from dehydration at the Radisson Hotel on Van Ness Avenue across from Courthouse Park in Downtown Fresno on Friday and had to be taken to Community Regional Medical Center for treatment.
O’Connor has since been released. Arum said O’Connor was trying to make weight for Saturday night’s bout and, according to Arum, nearly died. The Fresno Bee reported that the Save Mart Center is available on Sept. 14, so it’s possible a Ramirez match could be held there. Arum said the location and opponent details should be worked out this week. Arum said that, no matter where the fight’s held, Ramirez “is going to headline” it.
Although Ramirez didn’t fight on Saturday, there were several other bouts on the fight card.
Lightweight Gabriel Flores Jr. of Stockton, the youngest fighter to turn professional in recent memory, won his six-round fight against James De Herrera by unanimous decision. The bout against De Herrera was Flores Jr.’s first pro fight in California. Although he turned pro two years ago, he had to wait to box professionally in California until he turned 18 in May. Flores Jr. remains undefeated with a 9-0 record.
In the 10-round welterweight bout, Edidijus Kavaliauskas decisioned Juan Carlos Abreu. Super featherweight Andy Vences went the full distance to defeat Frank De Alba by unanimous decision. Andy Ruiz Jr., also went the distance to unanimously decision Kevin Johnson. In the six-round super featherweight bout, Joseph Adorino knocked out Guadalupe De Leon in the third round. Adorino has won all eight of his professional fights by knockout.