Boxing talents as young as Julian Ramirez (14-0, 8 KOs) are not supposed to be polished and well-rounded at their craft. Truthfully, many young American fighters are anything but refined with the gradual decline of amateur boxing here in the United States. But, Julian Ramirez is no ordinary fighter.
Elite boxing ability runs in his family with regal bloodlines passed down from his uncle and champion, the late great Genaro Hernandez. Julian also recalls learning the basics of footwork from his great grandfather, “He gave me my fundamentals. All of my footwork is because of him.”
Julian’s center of gravity comes from his stance. “I don’t try to be flashy with my footwork… I always just try to have balance,” Ramirez, 22, explains. A boxer can’t be as fluid as Ramirez without having this level of control in their core. His ability to throw multiple punches with equal effectiveness is rooted in his foundation.
The Los Angeles native can flat-out box. His knack for punch-positioning and range control allows him the option to stick and move around his opponent, or dig-in and sit down on his punches.
Whether fighting ultra-aggressive like the Carlos Rodriguez performance, or boxing calm, cool and calculated like the Pedro Melo scrap, Ramirez will deploy whatever style necessary to dispatch each and every unique foe in front of him.
“I’ve studied a lot of boxing and I know that some styles for other fighters make them uncomfortable, and that’s pretty much what I do.” “I can fight calm, I can fight aggressive and I can box, so I just try and make my opponent feel uncomfortable.”
Julian’s controlled aggression suggests the fight slows down for him inside the ropes. He lets his hands fly with regularity, constantly changing speeds as he searches for a proper place for a proper punch. Ramirez constantly assesses the situation in the ring. “I just see what they’re gonna do right away, see what they’re trying to do and I try to make them feel uncomfortable.”
Adapting speeds and varying punch selection on a case-by-case basis is unique in this sport, typically reserved for elite fighters. The ability to adapt his punches situationally keeps his opponents guessing, always shifting the leverage of a fight in his favor.
The only thing holding Ramirez back at this point in his climb towards contender status is remaining active. Ramirez was scheduled to headline Golden Boy Promotions‘ “LA Fight Club” show on August 6, but his opponent was cut and unable to fight.
Boxing is unfair to so many young fighters as they climb from prospect to contender, leaving most behind as the sport moves on. If health prevails, Julian Ramirez has the pedigree, ring IQ and the uncanny composure necessary to survive his rise to the top of the fight game.
Julian Ramirez returns this Saturday, October 3, 2015 against Hugo Partida on the Lucas Matthysse vs. Viktor Postol undercard. The fight can be streamed live at www.RingTVLive.com.
