José Luis Ramírez
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For the murderer, see Luis Ramirez.
José Luis Ramírez (born March 12, 1958) is a Mexican national who was a boxer and a two time world Lightweight champion.
A native of Tamaulipas and a resident of Culiacán, Ramírez climbed slowly but steadily on boxing's rankings. In 1978, as a Featherweight, a young Ramírez lost by knockout in two to legendary three time former world champion Rubén Olivares.
After his move in weight to the Lightweights, Ramírez met another boxing legend inside a ring, when he fought Alexis Argüello. Ramírez dropped Argüello in round six, but lost a ten round split decision in Miami. He then faced Ray Mancini for the North American Lightweght belt, and lost a 12 round decision in Ohio. By then, Ramírez and Julio César Chávez were gymmates and friends.
On May 1 of 1983, Ramírez was given the chance at becoming world Lightweight champion for the first time, when he fought Puerto Rican Edwin "El Chapo" Rosario at the Coliseo Roberto Clemente in San Juan, Puerto Rico, for the World Boxing Council's championship. Ramírez lost a close 12 round unanimous decision, but on November 4, of 1984, he and Rosario had a rematch, also in San Juan. With Rosario pinned against a corner and Ramírez attacking, referee Steve Crosson stopped the bout in round four, after Ramírez had landed 17 straight punches, making Ramírez a world Lightweight champion for the first time, by a technical knockout.
Ramírez then went into training for a defense against Héctor Camacho, another boxer from Puerto Rico. The fight was postponed when Camacho suffered a broken ankle during a pick up basketball game, but it finally came off on August 10, 1985. On his first fight telecast on HBO Boxing, Ramírez was dropped in round three and lost a 12 round unanimous decision.
Ramírez, a culturally intellectual person, moved to Paris soon after. There, he re-grouped, and was able to regain the WBC's world championship when Camacho left it vacant, by edging out Terrence Alli with another close but unanimous 12 round decision. He defended the title various times, and then moved back to Mexico. Among the challengers he beat to defend the title was Pernell Whitaker, future multiple time world champion. The consensus among both media and fans was that Whitaker deserved to win the fight.
Back in Mexico, he and Chávez were neighbors. Chávez had lifted the World Boxing Association's world Lightweight championship by beating Rosario, and a unification bout between the two friends and neighbors was planned. Ramírez, who is a godfather to one of Chávez's sons, lost an 11 round technical decision to Chávez on October 27 of 1988, which marked the last day he would be a world champion.
In 1989, he tried to win the International Boxing Federation's belt from Whitaker, in Virginia, but he lost a 12 round decision. Then, in 1990, he went to Argentina, where he lost to Juan Martin Coggi by a decision in 12 for the WBA's world Jr. Welterweight title. After that bout, he retired.
Ramírez is a member of the less recognized World Boxing Hall of Fame in California, not to be confused with the more widely recognized International Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota.
His boxing record is 102-9 (82 KOs).
| Preceded by Edwin Rosario |
WBC Lightweight Champion 3 Nov 1984–10 Aug 1985 |
Succeeded by Hector Camacho |
| Preceded by Hector Camacho Vacates |
WBC Lightweight Champion 19 Jul 1987–29 Oct 1989 |
Succeeded by Julio César Chávez |
