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No. 1 Super Flyweight Contender
John Ramirez In Holding Pattern
Colorful Los Angeles professional boxer John “Scrappy”
Ramirez (17-1, 9 KOs) was elevated to the No. 1 position in
the super flyweight division of the World Boxing Association
(WBA) back in January for the second time during his
professional career.
Ramirez is also rated No. 5 and No. 11, respectively, by the
World Boxing Organization (WBO) and World Boxing Council
(WBC).
After Jessie “Bam” Rodriguez relinquished his WBA Super
Flyweight World title to move up one weight class, WBA
Interim Super Flyweight Champion, David “Medallita” Jimenez
(18-1, 12 KOs) was elevated to WBA Super Flyweight World
Champion on June 13, 2026.
It was expected that the WBA would order Jimenez to defend
his new title against Ramirez, whose only loss was to
Jimenez in 2024, by way of a 12-round unanimous decision for
the vacant WBA Super Flyweight Interim title in Brooklyn.
Jimenez and the WBA, though, have been holding the WBA Super
Flyweight World title hostage. The Costa Rican hasn’t fought
since July 20, 2025, and being inactive for more than a full
year normally results in the title holder being stripped, or
if injured, made Champion in Recess. Instead, rumors have
circulated that WBA No. 2-rated Seigo Yuri Akui (23-3-1, 13
KOs) would challenge Jimenez next.
Fighting out of South Central Los Angeles, “Scrappy” has
shown the patience of a saint waiting for a deal in which he
would fight Jimenez in a rematch for the WBA crown.
“I’ve been here before (WBA No. 1 contender) and I learned
through the process from the previous time I fought him,”
Ramirez said. “All I can control is me. I’ve continued
working on my skills in the gym (Brickhouse Boxing Club in
North Hollywood, CA). I leave the business side to my team
and God.
"My team and I ran into his (Jimenez) manager in Las Vegas
at the Capetillo Boxing Gym, where he told us he'd agreed to
the rematch —he's gone radio silent ever since. They know
they're on borrowed time, and it's only a matter of time
before that belt is mine."
"Becoming a WBA World Champion has been my dream ever since
my first conversation with the President, Gilberto Mendoza.
The WBA are the true pioneers of the sport, and I can't wait
for my shot to bring the belt home."
“Now, I’m experienced in boxing. I was undefeated (the last
time he was No. 1) and I lost to Jimenez. I took that
opportunity and I’m different this time. I want payback, a
redemption, and I use that as a source of motivation. In
boxing, you see fighters rise to the top and fall. I did but
I didn’t complain. Actions speak louder than words. I stayed
focused. I’m No. 1 again and took a different path than
other fighters. It shows what type of person I am. Boxing is
unfair and physically taxing. I stayed focused.”
Jimenez, 34, only defended his WBA Interim title twice,
winning a 12-round decision from Keyvin Lara (32-6-1) in
Costa Rica , and knocking out Kenburn Torres (15-5) in
Kyrgyzstan. Ramirez had fought four times since his loss to
Jimenez, including two this year.
Because of the lack of an amateur background and relatively
late start in boxing, the now 30-year-old Ramirez isn’t the
same fighter who faced Jimenez nearly 1 ½ years ago. At that
time, Jimenez’ had already gained world title experience,
suffering this lone loss to date, by way of a 12-round
unanimous decision, to then-defending WBA Flyweight World
Champion Artem Dalakian (21-0, 15 KOs) in London.
“We have history and it shouldn’t be difficult matching the
champion and No. 1 contender,” Ramirez continued. “This
fight has to happen. It is one of the most exciting fights
in the super flyweight division. I wasn’t ready when we
fought, the proof is in the pudding. I was capable but not
complete at that moment. I had to get the experience I did
to be the fighter I am today. I only lacked experience.”
“‘Scrappy’ is a different fighter now because he proved
something to himself in that last fight,” Ramirez’
fast-rising young head trainer Julian Chua added. “He proved
he belonged with the best in the world. In doing that,
though, he got drawn into Jimenez’ kind of fight, and
unfortunately he came up short. That’s part of the learning
process. Next time, you’ll ee a fighter who is comfortable
staying true to himself and his style. He doesn’t have
anything to prove anymore. Now it’s about fighting smart,
fighting disciplined, and making the other guy adjust to
him.”
In other words, it’s “Scrappy Time!”
“I’ll fight him (Jimenez) anywhere, anyplace, anytime,”
Ramirez concluded. “This is the life I chose. To beat the
best, I need to roll the dice, and I’m going to continue
doing just that. I see myself as world champion.”
“Scrappy” is managed by 3 Point Management (3 PM), which has
a growing stable of gifted boxers former including WBA & WBO
Cruiserweight and WBO Super Middleweight World Champion
Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez (48-248-2, 30 KOs), WBA No. 5-rated
world super middleweight Darius “DFG” Fulghum (15-1-1, 13
KOs), former WBC Light Heavyweight World Champion Oleksandr
“The Nail” Gvozdyk (21-3, 17 KOs), former WBA
Inter-Continental Light Heavyweight Champion, Canadian
Kareem “Supreme” Hackett (13-1, 7 KOs), Armenian
featherweight Azat “Crazy A” Hovhannisyan (23-6, 17 KOs),
and German junior welterweight Simon “Saucy” Vollmer (7-0, 3
KOs).
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