Ramirez vs Barboza agreed, planned for September

Arnold Barboza Jr is the WBO’s top-ranked contender at 140 pounds

FinalizeDays after Dan Rafael revealed that Golden Boy was looking to stage Jose Ramirez vs Arnold Barboza Jr later this year, Barboza tells Lance Pugmire that the pair have “struck a verbal deal” to meet later this year, with Ramirez’s manager targeting “late September in Las Vegas.”

Ramirez (29-1, 18 KO) and Barboza (30-0, 11 KO) have been on the cusp of fighting each other for nearly half a decade now; they were stablemates at Top Rank, never crossed paths despite multiple opportunities, then each joined Golden Boy after parting ways with Bob Arum and co. They’re striking while the iron is coldest, as Ramirez had to fight through some tight spots against an aging Rances Barthelemy and Barboza’s “win” over Sean McComb was among the more prominent robberies in a year chock-full of them.

The winner will presumably be next in line for Teofimo Lopez should “The Takeover” dispatch Steve Claggett this Saturday, though Lopez has repeatedly and loudly declined to give Barboza the time of day. Still, should be a reasonably entertaining and well-matched bout.