Mario Barrios To Defend WBC Welterweight Title Against Abel Ramos On Jake Paul-Mike Tyson Undercard

Barrios Postpones Potential Pacquiao Fight as He Prepares for Title Defense

Mario Barrios will defend his title against Abel Ramos /

By Moses Ochieng

Mario Barrios is set to defend his WBC welterweight title against Abel Ramos on the undercard of the Jake Paul-Mike Tyson event on November 15. By agreeing to fight Ramos, Barrios is postponing potential plans to face Manny Pacquiao, a matchup that could result in an ill-advised comeback for the retired Filipino legend if it materializes.

 Barrios, a former 140-pound titleholder, began his career with a 26-0 record before suffering back-to-back losses to Gervonta "Tank" Davis and, in his welterweight debut, to Keith Thurman. Since those defeats, he has won three consecutive fights. Last September, Barrios (29-2, 18 KOs) captured the interim 147-pound title by defeating Yordenis Ugas via unanimous decision.

The 29-year-old made one defense of the interim title against Fabian Maidana in May, before being elevated to full champion status when the World Boxing Council declared the undisputed champion Terence Crawford "champion in recess." This upcoming bout will mark Barrios' first defense of the full championship.

“I’m thrilled to be part of this once-in-a-lifetime event. The fight on the Jake Paul versus Mike Tyson card is huge, with millions watching live on Netflix. Abel Ramos is a tough Mexican fighter, just like me, so I know it’ll be a hell of a fight in front of my Texas people at the Dallas Cowboys’ stadium. I’m also excited to showcase my indigenous roots on this global platform. Don’t miss this fight – it’s going to be war, Puro San Antonio!” said Barrios in media reports.

Abel Ramos, a contender from Casa Grande, Arizona, comes from a family steeped in boxing tradition. He began his amateur career at the age of 13, earning recognition by placing third in the National Golden Gloves and winning bronze at the 2010 U.S. Nationals. Ramos turned professional in 2011 and quickly made a name for himself with his power and toughness, facing tough opponents like Ivan Baranchyk and Regis Prograis. This fight will be Ramos' second shot at a world title, following a split-decision loss to Yordenis Ugas in 2020. One of his most memorable victories came that same year when he knocked out Bryant Perrella in the final seconds of their bout.

Ramos (28-6-2) returned to winning form in April with a fifth-round stoppage of Juan Ramon Guzman after suffering consecutive losses to Cody Crowley and Luke Santamaria. Known for his durability, Ramos has shared the ring with notable fighters such as Prograis, Baranchyk, and Ugas. His most significant win so far came in 2021 when he stopped Omar Figueroa Jr. in the sixth round.

“I’m very excited to be fighting for the WBC title and I’m looking forward to a great fight against Mario Barrios. He’s a warrior just like me and I’m going to give the fans at Cowboys Stadium and those watching around the world on Netflix an exciting fight on Friday, November 15th,” the 33-year-old Ramos and like Barrios, of Mexican-American descent, expressed about the upcoming fight.