Trainer Henry Ramirez: “Lopez by KO Over Canelo!”

NEW Video Interview with Josesito’s Trainer

Can Josesito Lopez pull off another stunning victory?

After shocking the boxing world and breaking Victor Ortiz’s jaw in their June 23 battle, his team believes their “Riverside Rocky” can overcome the stacked odds once again.

I spoke to Jose’s longtime trainer Henry Ramirez at Wednesday’s Media Workout held at the Santa Fe Springs Activity Center in Santa Fe Springs, Calif. His young champ will be squaring off against Mexican superstar Canelo Alvarez in “Knockout Kings”: Canelo vs. Lopez on Saturday, September 15 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Canelo Promotions in association with Goossen Tutor Promotions and Thompson Boxing Promotions, the match will air live on Showtime and is in defense of Canelo’s WBC Super Welterweight Championship.

For this bout, Lopez will be moving up in weight–and once again will be put in the role of the big underdog.

But this role is no big deal to Team Lopez. At the media workout, Ramirez, trainer Danny Zamora, Thompson Boxing’s Ken Thompson and Alex Camponovo, and cutman “Indian” Willie Schunke believe lightning can strike twice, as in scoring another upset win over the heralded favorite.

Never one to mince words, the busy boxing coach who trains his champions and contenders at the II Feathers Boxing Gym in Riverside, shared his thoughts on all the hoopla leading up to this marquee matchup.

During the Ortiz fight, the camp wore “I Smell an Upset” shirts. Come September 15, this Riverside crew is aiming to shock the boxing world one more time. UNO MAS. The boxing universe will be watching…and this time around the media attention has grown by leaps and bounds as the spotlight shines once again on Josesito Lopez. Ramirez has been through the media blitzes with heavyweight Arreola, but Henry reveals that this go-round with Lopez vs. Canelo is two to three times worse than what he’s ever gone through before. “It’s been a bit annoying, to be honest,” he laughs. Well if the team wins on September 15, the media onslaught will really blow up.

But can they do it? Can Josesito defeat Canelo?

Henry believes they can.

Making some bold statements, he is predicting a knockout by Lopez.

I asked him about those Las Vegas odds that favor Canelo by a wide margin.

“The Vegas oddsmakers have never spent a day in my boxing gym,” replied a confident Ramirez, who also trains Chris Arreola (who will be fighting October 27), DonYil Livingston (fighting September 22), Jonathan Arellano (September 21), Roberto Crespo, as well as a group of young amateurs.

Henry tells me of Jose’s top-notch sparring with heavier guys like DonYil Livingston, Joshua Conley and Alberto Herrera. And they don’t think going up in weight will hinder their chances of an upset victory.

“LOPEZ BY KNOCKOUT!” he states in his prediction.

And Ramirez has an added incentive. One hundred thousand more reasons to snag an upset win against the redheaded boxing hero. There’s a $100,000 bonus for “Best Knockout of the Night” and Henry says they’d love to cash that check.

So he is predicting his fighter Josesito Lopez will win by a KO; they don’t want the decision in the hands of the judges.

“There’s just too many idiot judges you can’t trust,” the always candid Ramirez says.

Listen in on my conversation with the boxing trainer as he preps for the final days before Lopez goes toe to toe with Canelo!

Henry Ramirez Video Link:

Tickets: www.mgmgrand.com

Photos by Carlos Baeza/Thompson Boxing Promotions