Undefeated welterweight contender Cody Crowley will look to further cement his place in the star-studded welterweight division when he takes on veteran Abel Ramos in the SHOWTIME PPV telecast opener on Saturday, March 25 in a Premier Boxing Champions event from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
The pay-per-view telecast begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and will be headlined by super middleweight rivals David “The Mexican Monster” Benavidez and Caleb Plant in a long-awaited matchup between former world champions.
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions and Sampson Boxing, are on sale now and can be purchased HERE through AXS.com.
The 29-year-old Crowley (21-0, 9 KOs) is a native of Peterborough, Ontario, Canada but trains in Las Vegas with longtime coach Ibn Cason as he continues his ascent in the 147-pound division. After impressively dispatching the previously unbeaten Kudratillo Abdukakhorov and rugged contender Josesito Lopez in his last two outings, Crowley hopes to take advantage of another opportunity on one of boxing’s biggest stages.
Here is what Crowley had to say about training camp, Ramos and more:
On what he’s shown the boxing world with his most recent wins:
“With my last two wins broadcast on SHOWTIME® and SHOWTIME PPV, I proved to the world that I’m an elite fighter. I belong in every conversation regarding the welterweight division. I earned the right to challenge for the welterweight championship of the world.”
On where he can still improve as a fighter:
“As a fighter, there is always room for improvement. I’m an all-around fighter. I can box, I can punch, I can take a punch and I can outthink any opponent who is in front of me. Improvement will come as I am able to get more activity and not deal with as much ring rust. Improvement will also come as the stakes in each fight are raised.”
On his opponent, Abel Ramos:
“Abel Ramos is a solid fighter. I believe that he is coming to fight and will be very aggressive. But, he is now in the ring with an extremely hungry fighter. As the fight progresses, I will discover the holes in his style. With my non-stop aggression, I will suffocate anything he’s trying to do.”
On where he stands in the welterweight division:
“I truly believe that I am one of the top three welterweight fighters in the world. The only ones ahead of me are Errol Spence Jr. and Terence Crawford. Fighting either of them, I can then prove to be the best in the world. I believe that I can beat either of them, because I’m younger and hungrier. There is no one who can keep up with my relentless attack and determination in the ring.
“Right now, I believe that I’m better than any of the other contenders. It’s time to fight for the world title. It’s time to fight Errol Spence Jr.”
On fighting in memory of his late father:
“Dedicating this fight and my career to honor my father’s memory means everything to me. He was and still is my greatest fan. He pushed me to succeed. He believed in me when there was nobody else. Becoming welterweight champion of the world is our dream.
“With my father’s passing, I started ‘55 for 55’ to raise funds and awareness for suicide prevention. It is my goal to help people and save lives with this program and for it to be another way of honoring his memory.”
Jesus and Abel Ramos Preview Respective Showdowns
Unbeaten rising star Jesus “Mono” Ramos and veteran welterweight contender Abel Ramos held a media workout in Phoenix, Ariz., on Wednesday as the Casa Grande-natives prepare for their respective showdowns on the David Benavidez vs. Caleb Plant SHOWTIME PPV® undercard on Saturday, March 25 in a Premier Boxing Champions event from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
Jesus, Jr., will battle fellow unbeaten Joey Spencer in the 10-round super welterweight co-main event, while Abel will take on undefeated Cody Crowley in the pay-per-view telecast opener at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions and Sampson Boxing, are on sale now and can be purchased HERE through AXS.com.
At just 21-years-old, Jesus, Jr., (19-0, 15 KOs) has compiled an impressive record and achieved contender status by displaying potent power and boxing acumen heading into perhaps his toughest test to date against the unbeaten Spencer. For his uncle Abel (27-5-2, 21 KOs), March 25 is another opportunity for him to score a signature upset, having stopped former champion Omar Figueroa, Jr., in May 2021 in addition to a final round KO of Bryant Perrella in February 2020, turning the tide in a fight Abel trailed at the time of the stoppage.
Here is what Jesus Jr. and Abel, along with their trainer, Jesus Jr’s father and Abel’s brother Jesus Ramos, Sr., had to say Wednesday from Central Boxing Gym in Phoenix:
JESUS RAMOS JR.
“This is a huge opportunity for me. I feel like so far in my career I’ve taken big steps and faced tough opponents, and this won’t be an exception. It’s going to be a great fight.
“I feel like I do a lot of things well. My reach, my conditioning, the body shots that I throw, it’s all going to be important on fight night.
“I’ve been working hard with my strength and conditioning coach. We’re working on being more explosive and throwing more punches. We want to really increase the pace of the fight.
“I feel even stronger now than before my last fight. We’ve had time to make the necessary adjustments, so my focus is better than ever. I’m ready for this.
“I do feel like I’ve fought on some big stages getting to this moment, but no matter what, I can’t let the size of the moment get to me. This is my childhood dream. Now it’s become a reality and on March 25 I’m going to enjoy every moment of it.
“Representing Arizona means a lot. There’s not a lot of athletes or big names coming out of Casa Grande. If I can bring a world title back to Casa Grande, that would mean everything to me. That’s the main goal. I want to pave the way for the next generation, not necessarily just in boxing, but whatever they dream of.
“This is going to be fireworks, and we’re here to win. Whatever it takes. We’re winning on the night. Ideally, it’s going to be a stoppage in the later rounds.
“I’m here to make the best fights, and the most entertaining fights as well. I’m here to stay.”
ABEL RAMOS
“I’m feeling really good. Training has been going great and I’m in top condition. We’re getting into those last couple weeks and getting everything sharpened up for the ring.
“I hope the fans get to see all the hard work that we put in here in Arizona pay off on March 25. I hope they appreciate the work ethic that we have and the excitement that we bring to boxing.
“Jesus, Jr., and I motivate each other. We’ve been training together for a long time and we motivate each other every day.
“We give each other pointers, but Jesus, Jr., is a kid who works hard. He doesn’t need much to get him going.
“The key for this fight is going to be to use the experience that I have and every trick that I know. I’m expecting an exciting fight.
“I’ve fought everybody since the beginning. I have a lot of rounds inside of the ring and I just have to make sure that I use everything I know in this fight.
“I really think that my resume and the opposition that I’ve fought, compared to Crowley, is going to be the biggest factor. I’ve got way more experience and it’s going to show on March 25. I’m predicting a win however it comes.”
JESUS RAMOS SR., Jesus, Jr.’s Father and Trainer, Abel’s Brother and Trainer
“It’s a great feeling to see Jesus, Jr., in this position. He put in all the hard work to get to where he is now. I’m really proud of him.
“My son is a very disciplined fighter and he’s very smart in the ring. I don’t think the pressure is going to get to him. He’s excited about the fight, but he’s focused too.
“I have to be hard on Jesus, Jr., because I don’t want to see him bleed in the ring. I have to train him hard. That’s what motivates me to keep pushing him harder.
“Jesus, Jr., is very close to that top level. He’s got good skills, he’s very strong and loves boxing. I really think he’s very close to a title shot.
“Abel is training really hard and he’s very motivated. This is a great matchup for him but also a make-or-break fight. I think it’s a perfect clash of styles to favor Abel. He has to win..
“If Crowley comes forward like he says he will, then, I think we can stop him in the middle rounds.
“I think the Jesus Jr. vs. Joey Spencer fight will be a more technical fight because both fighters know when to be cautious. I think toward the end of the fight, Joey Spencer is going to fade. That’s what we’ve been training for. We’re ready to go the distance and we’ll see what happens.
“March 25 is going to be a very special night for the Ramos family.”
JESUS RAMOS
“This is what boxing is all about. Good fighters fighting other good fighters. That brings out the crowd. That’s what this is about. We’re here to compete.
“It’s crazy that both Joey and I turned pro around the same time, and now we’re here. But that’s what boxing is all about, making the big fights. This is a great fight and it’s going to be entertaining for the fans.
“It’s always special sharing a card with my uncle. It’s a great card and to have my uncle and my whole family here means a lot. We did training camp together and now we’re here. It’s exciting and we’re both ready for this.
“I’m looking to make a big statement on Saturday night – that we’re here to stay. We’re fighting tough fighters, overcoming adversity and becoming better with each fight.
“I’m just focused on winning. If the knockout comes, it will come, but I have to win.”
JOEY SPENCER
“This sport is about testing yourself against the best that you can, and I feel like Jesus [Ramos] was one of the best fighters that I could get and that’s what happened. So that’s what I want to do for the rest of my career and as long as I do this – go in there and test myself physically and mentally and in a way that you can’t do outside this sport.
“It’s a great training camp and we’ve had some good looks and had some undefeated pros in my camp – tall southpaws to emulate the look that I need for Jesus. Everything is going well. I’ve put together a great game plan. I’m mentally and physically ready and I’m looking forward to showcasing that for the world to see.
“This is a familiar feeling for me – the feeling of fight week. I’ve never been this high up on a card before or in a fight of this magnitude, but I’ve been able to observe the really big fights over the past five or six years, so I’m definitely prepared to show that this is my time.
“All I know is that I have to get the win at all costs. Whatever it takes and whatever I have to do to get the win, I will do it. If I have to adjust, or if I have to change my gameplan – whatever I have to do, I’m prepared for all circumstances and ready to go out and get it done.”
CHRIS COLBERT
“I missed boxing so much. This is what I love to do. This is my life. It just feels good to be back and to be fulfilling one of my dreams. It was always a dream to fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Come Saturday night, that dream is going to come true and I’m going to show up and show out.
“I know that Valenzuela is a great fighter and he’ll be coming to fight, but I ain’t worried about nothing. In my last fight, I didn’t get the decision that I wanted, but everybody knows that I can really fight. Come Saturday night, I’m going to show that.
“I’m coming up in weight, so what fighter is not going to feel good coming up in weight? Saturday night will tell me how I really feel and I’ll see whether or not I can hang at this weight class. I feel like I can. I’ve been in the ring with 155-pounders and it’s nothing to me. I think I’ll be good.
“The time away from the ring just made me realize certain things that I didn’t realize when I was on my high horse because I was undefeated. I was winning and I was making a lot of money and doing things that I had never done before. But that’s never going to stop. I’m always going to be me. Always going to be ‘Primetime’. It’s going to be ‘Primetime’ on SHOWTIME PPV on March 25. I will be victorious.”
JOSE VALENZUELA
“This week is a blessing. It’s a dream come true to be on the undercard with my brother David Benavidez. This is another opportunity to show and prove to myself and the world what I’m made of and what I can really do.
“I took this tough fight because I know what I can really do when I have my head in the game and when I have my stuff together. I’ll be putting on a show on Saturday night.
“I learned a lot from my loss to Edwin De Los Santos. I learned a lot about the game and about myself, my team and my family. I just learned so much and I’ve matured a lot. It was a blessing in disguise.
“Chris Colbert is a good fighter. He’s slick and he’s fast. I’m well prepared for that. I’ve trained for his style and I’ll be ready.
“I’m promising fireworks on Saturday night. The whole card from top to bottom is a great card. It’s going to be a good night of boxing and I will be victorious. My hand will be raised, there’s no doubt about that.”
CODY CROWLEY
“Vegas is home for me in terms of where I live, and also in terms of where I deserve to be, which is at the top of the boxing game with the legends. I’m paving my way one fight at a time and I feel like I’m right at home.
“Abel is a veteran. Hats off to him. He’s been in a lot of exciting fights at the top level. But he hasn’t been in there with Cody Crowley yet. Anything you’ve seen, it’s going to be totally different. I’m a different animal, a different beast. I suffocate my opponents to the point where they can’t breathe. Unless you’re willing to throw 150 to 200 punches a round, you’re not ready for Cody Crowley.
“My dad took his own life last summer. He was battling some demons just like I think every single human being in this room does on a daily basis. The greatest thing I can do to honor him is to not let those demons attack me like they attacked him. That means waking up every day no matter how hard it is, moving forward, opening my mouth, sharing my heart and letting people know what’s going on in my head. This fight, I’m raising money for suicide awareness in my father’s name so other people who need help can have resources to reach out and come out on the other side.
“In a perfect world for Cody Crowley, this fight ends in a shutout with me winning every single round until I suffocate him and take him out. I’m going for a stoppage. I’m a 15-round fighter. I’m still waiting for those days to come back. I hope when I go out there and show my conditioning and the excitement that I give fans a reason to get off their chairs and stand on their feet on fight night.”
ABEL RAMOS
“I’m excited for this fight. I’m enjoying it and I’m thankful to all the fans for showing up today.
“Crowley is a tough opponent and we’re expecting an exciting fight and we are ready to go. Whatever he brings, we’ll be ready.
“It’s motivating to be on the same card [as my nephew Jesus]. We went through training camp together and we’re here now. It’s going to be an exciting night for the Ramos family.
“Be sure you tune in, because I’m coming out with the victory.”