At junior welterweight, relevance fades quickly without meaningful assignments.
Ramirez’s recent decline
Jose steps in with the stronger record but less recent answers. A former unified titleholder at 140, his decline began with a unanimous decision loss to Josh Taylor in May 2021. He has gone 3–2 since then, with the last two losses taking him further afield.
Losses to Haney and Barboza Jr. left Ramirez out of the title picture rather than move him back into it.
The Haney fight was the clearest indication of where Ramirez stands now. Ramirez boxed at Times Square last May and failed to pressure or limit Haney’s movement. He followed instead of cutting off the ring and allowed long stretches to pass without adjustment. The pace stayed low, the crowd stayed quiet and the fight slipped away without resistance. At 33, and inactive since that night, Ramirez no longer seems capable of dictating the pace when an opponent refuses to engage.
Catterall Still Seeking Elite Reentry
Catterall’s position is different, but no stronger. His unanimous decision loss to Barboza Jr. last May, his progress stalled at the moment he needed a foothold. Victories over Ekow Essuman and Harlem Eubank kept him active, but that didn’t change how he was viewed. Those fights showed skill and discipline, not a step up to the level he still publicly refers to.
That reality defines the game. Catterall wants access to elite names, but his recent work hasn’t demanded it. Ramirez still has recognition and a home base, but his recent performances have suggested limitations he hasn’t addressed. Fresno offers Ramirez familiarity and support. To travel gives Catterall a lively route back into strife. Both enter with open questions.
For Ramirez, the test is whether he can still impose himself in front of his own crowd. For Catterall, beating a slower, inactive former champion is unlikely to carry any weight. If neither question is clearly answered, the fight fills a date and leaves both men with fewer places to go.
