Olawale Afolabi vs. Victor Emilio Ramírez for the IBF Cruiserweight interim title

Yoan Pablo Hernandez was supposed to make a title defense versus Afolabi in December but withdrew with injury.

The IBF has set up a showdown between #4 Ramirez and #3 Afolabi to determine the interim champ at 200lbs. Hernandez is required to meet the new interim champion by August 6th lest he be stripped while they become promoted to full titlist.

Strong, brick-house pressure fighter Ramirez spent more than four years in retirement licking the wounds to his pride following his close loss to Marco Huck, in which Huck somewhat controversially took his WBO title in Germany. He returned to action thirteen months ago, embarking upon a 6-0 (5) run at home in Argentina, mostly in his Buenos Aires home town and picking up the IBF Latino CW title along with his #4 ranking.

Afolabi is also on the comeback trail following a loss to Huck, in their rubber match. The awkward, shoulder-rolling counter-sprayer fought on two Golovkin undercards (Stevens & Geale) at Madison Square Garden and has defeated Lukasz Janik of Poland and regional-level club fighter Anthony Caputo Smith of the US. Neither of these is a huge statement maker, though neither have been Ramirez's conquests - the best of which probably was The Contender season 4 participant Deon Elam.

Each represents a name of the sort the other desperately needs on their record at the moment, and neither can afford the loss.

I would actually give either a solid chance to knock Hernandez out, though he could also outbox either one.

 

Their styles could gel really nicely, I think.

Afolabi will be quite a bit taller and longer (enjoying these advantages over Huck, while Ramirez was disadvantaged) but Ramirez is going to look to get inside and bang away, with Afolabi unlikely to keep him off with his bursts of wide looping fire. Once it starts to be fought at tight quarters it will be Ramirez's harder and more compact punches versus Afolabi's volume. Peekaboo defense versus slick leans and level changes.

 

Last outings...


Afolabi vs. Smith:

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Ramirez vs. Elam:

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:nod Still either one's best wins.

 

Yeah, to be fair the IBF doesn't abuse them like every rival org seems to, reserving them for cases where the champ is actually injured and therefore unable to defend in a timely manner.

 

Fields was never anything.

I'd say their best results are pretty even. (Maccarinelli KO & Huck draw vs. the Alexeev and Ismailov wins)

 

At least if he doesn't meet the Afolabi vs. Ramirez winner by his August deadline, he will lose his championship status and I would assume the Ring title along with it.

 

I'll put up a poll once the date is finalized.

Afolabi has until January 30th to negotiate terms with Ramirez, before it reaches purse bid. (minimum $100,000 split two ways)