Maxboxing 2023 Fight of the Year - Rafael Espinoza – Robeisy Ramirez

On ESPN, Top Rank fight night in Pembrooke Pines, Florida, produced a great fight in a year of outstanding fights. 

Rafael Espinoza (then, 23-0, 20 KO’s) was facing off with Cuban, 2-time Olympic Gold Medalist Robeisy Ramírez (then 13-1, 8 KO’s) for Ramirez’s WBO featherweight world title. Ramirez was making his 2nd title defense and was listed as a heavy favorite.

The event, the title shot, and the talented champion didn’t seem to rattle Espinoza at all, and he came out aggressively walking down champion Ramirez.

However, in round 5 the champion caught the challenger with a right hook that dropped him hard sending the Ramirez Florida faithful into a frenzy. Espinoza was badly hurt but allowed to continue and was saved by the bell that rang seconds after he rose. 

And continue he did, showing the heart of a Mexican fighter grinding his way back into the fight. 

Espinoza, exceptionally tall for the weight at 6’1”, used a long jab and movement to frustrate Ramirez while peppering him with hard shots. 

Hard work, grit, and fast combinations allowed Espinoza to battle back and drop Ramirez in the 12th round.

The fight was a back-and-forth war that saw both fighters have their moments. It was a highly aggressive, offensive-heavy battle that saw the challenger hammer out a close MD over 12 rounds by scores of 115-11, 114-112, 113-113. 

Earlier in the fight, ringside commentator Joe Tessitore accurately described Espinoza as “a fighter with a good record but who is somewhat unknown”. But after this fight, he was now a world champion and was certainly someone fight fans would be keeping an eye on after his impressive performance.

Espinoza, who only had 11 amateur fights in Mexico before going pro, was a non-stop punching machine. He threw 995 punches in the bout and pulled off a championship win in a great action fight.

Knockdowns, back-and-forth action, and a huge upset - you can’t ask for a lot more.

Thank you Robeisy Ramirez and Rafael Espinoza for the “2023 Fight of the Year."