Ramiro Cesena and his team asked for—and received—the stiffest challenge that could be secured for his U.S. debut.
The unbeaten junior lightweight prospect from Baja California, Mexico has a real test in front of him as he faces Cleveland’s Thomas ‘Gunna Man’ Mattice this Saturday from Boeing Center at Tech Port in San Antonio, Texas. Their bout opens a four-fight DAZN telecast, which Cesena views as a breakout opportunity and with a chance to make a statement versus a red-hot spoiler.
“I’m happy I’m finally getting an opportunity to accomplish a lifelong dream of fighting in the U.S., the mecca of big time boxing,” Cesena told BoxingScene.com. “I’m here to show that I am the best fighter in the 130-pound division.”
The 23-year-old Cesena (16-0-1, 13KOs) is tasked with a dangerous assignment. Mattice (20-3-1, 15KOs) was unbothered by the gaudy and undefeated record possessed by Puerto Rico’s Christian Tapia, whom he dropped early and outpointed over ten rounds in their all-action affair last November 12 in his Cleveland hometown.
It marks by far the biggest step up in class to date for Cesena, who has fought all but two career bouts in his native Mexico. A pair of fights in Dubai featured his best win to date, an eight-round majority decision over Bekman Soylybayev in their March 2021 battle of unbeaten prospects.
Fights like this are part of the process for what Cesena and his team hope to achieve.
“In order for Ramiro to make his name in a packed 130 pound division, he has to be fighting in America,” acknowledged promoter Shane Shapiro, who signed Cesena last March. “He has already proved himself to be a Mexican warrior by taking on fighters in foreign territory but now is the time to step up to the world level. We have been looking for a big fight for Ramiro for some time now, and Thomas Mattice provides exactly that.”
Cesena will also have to find a way to shout the loudest on a competitive four-fight show that includes two major title fights.
Unified WBA/IBF junior featherweight titlist Murodjon ‘MJ’ Akhmadaliev defends versus IBF mandatory challenger Marlon Tapales, who is also co-promoted by Shapiro. Headlining the event, local hero and former WBC junior bantamweight champ Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez (17-0, 11KO) and Mexico’s Cristian Gonzalez (15-1, 6KOs) vie for the vacant WBO flyweight title.
“Getting on the undercard of a great fighter like Bam Rodriguez only inspires me to train harder for the fight,” insisted Cesena, whose last win came in a fifth-round knockout of Sergio Puente last August 5 at home in La Paz, BC, Mexico. “I am excited to properly introduce myself to the fans in San Antonio.”
Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox