Ramirez on track for major title fight

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Top Rank founder and CEO Bob Arum believes Avenal's Jose Ramirez will fight for a major world title in 2016.

Arum told Action News Sports Director Tommy Tran, "Jose Ramirez next year, will be the year. I mean he has a tough fight tonight, assuming he wins the fight tonight. He'll fight twice more, next year first six months and then hopefully in the latter part of the year, he'll fight for a world title and I hope to bring that world title here to Fresno. It's very, very important that these fighters fight in their hometown and pack in the fans. It's good when the local people come out and they cheer on these young men."

Ramirez beat Johnny Garcia for the WBC Continental Americas Super Lightweight belt last Saturday night. A sellout crowd of 13,120 watched Ramirez and Garcia go the full eight rounds. Ramirez won in a unanimous decision, improving him to 16-0 (12 KO's) at the Fight For Water V boxing event.

Ramirez is part of the Top Rank family. Arum brought WBO Welterweight champion Timothy Bradley who came to Fresno to watch the fight.

"I've never been to Fresno, but I heard there's 13-thousand people coming out here to see this young guy fight. I said, wow, that's a Manny Pacquiao crowd. I said that's a huge crowd, man. And that's a huge team here. So, it shows you what type of person he is outside the ring. He's a people's champion and that's why they support him." Said Bradley.