Ramirez vs Barthelemy Predictions: Knockout to tee ‘Jaguar’ up for more title fights

Former unified super lightweight champion Jose Ramirez continues his climb back to the top this Saturday, April 27. Ex-IBF lightweight king Rances Barthelemy provides the opposition at Save Mart Center in Fresno, California. The bout will air as part of DAZN’s ‘Double Header’ event, with Vergil Ortiz Jr taking on Thomas Dulorme in the co-main event. Here are my Ramirez vs Barthelemy predictions ahead of a spicy 140-pound match-up.

Despite a three-year reign as world champion and the fact he unified the WBC and WBO belts in that time, Ramirez is best known to British fans for a defeat. ‘Jaguar’ lost those belts to IBF and WBA kingpin Josh Taylor in May 2021, crowning the first ever divisional undisputed champion. But despite falling short against ‘The Tartan Tornado’, Ramirez is an incredibly capable fighter.

Since the Taylor reverse, the 31-year-old has won two on the bounce. Ramirez outpointed former two-weight world champion Jose Pedraza in March 2022. He followed that victory up with an 11-round stoppage of Richard Commey, the former IBF lightweight titleholder. For the third time in a row, Ramirez now goes in with a former world ruler as he edges closer to getting his old belts back.

Standing in his way is Rances Barthelemy. ‘Kid Blast’ is 38 now and one could argue his best days are behind him. He is 3-1-1 in his last five bouts. The two bouts the Cuban did not win came at world level. Robert Easter Jr went to a split draw with Barthelemy in a WBA lightweight title defence in 2019. Then in July 2022, Gary Antuanne Russell stopped him in six rounds. 

You actually have to go back to 2017 to find Barthelemy’s last victory over a world class operator. The Cuban climbed off the deck to knock down Kiryl Relikh and take a unanimous decision victory. In a rematch for the vacant WBA super lightweight title the following year, Relikh would get revenge by winning his own unanimous nod. Since that defeat, Barthelemy has either failed at the highest level or won at a lower one.

His best form came almost a decade ago as an unbeaten fighter on the rise. Wins over Antonio DeMarco, Denis Shafikov, Mickey Bey and the aforementioned first fight with Relikh represent the high watermark of Barthelemy’s career. This run took in his reign as IBF lightweight champion. From the defeat in the Relikh rematch onwards, the Cuban star has not looked like the same fighter.

The cynic in my would suggest that this is the exact reason he has been sought for Ramirez. ‘Jaguar’ is on the cusp of returning to his throne. He won’t want anything to throw a spanner in the works at this late stage. Barthelemy is a fighter with some name recognition but who is unlikely to upset the applecart. It’s a case of getting some rounds in the bank and moving on to bigger and better things.

Will it be that simple for Ramirez? I’m afraid it will. Seven years younger and having competed at a far higher level recently, he will ease to victory here. My pick is for Ramirez to get this done via knockout at 13/8, teeing himself up for future world title opportunities.

You can find all our latest Boxing Betting Tips and analysis at our Betfred Insights Boxing page