Newly named WBO featherweight champion Rafael Espinoza will make the first defense of his title against Sergio Chirino Sánchez at the Fontainebleau Las Vegas on June 21. If he is successful, the super-busy Mexican boxer and puncher could find himself in the Naoya Inoue sweepstakes.
Despite his undefeated record and high knockout rate, Mexican Espinoza came out of nowhere to dethrone then-champion Robeisy Ramirez at the Charles F. Dodge City Center in Pembroke Pines, Florida, on December 9.
LOOK: Rafael Espinoza vs. Sergio Chirino Sánchez, exclusively on ESPN+
Espinoza (24-0, 20 KOs) entered that fight as a significant underdog and was seen as an afterthought by most fans and pundits. Ramirez was a double Olympic champion who had been in brilliant form since he lost his pro debut (later avenged) and was aiming for a big-money superfight.
When the bell rang, the boxing world was in for a big surprise. Espinoza outclassed Ramirez from start to finish, emerging from a fifth-round knockdown to take command of the fight and exhaust the champion’s resources. A 12th round knockdown by Espinoza sealed his victory by majority decision and his lifelong dream was fulfilled.
According to CompuBox, the new champion landed 222 of an astonishing 995 punches thrown. There he won the fight. Ramirez connected on 119 of 376 shots, which were anemic numbers by comparison. The Cuban star could do nothing to contain the onslaught and did not have the engine to match it.
The Jugo Mobile delves into Espinoza’s career and assesses his chances of destroying “The Monster.”
Who is Rafael Espinoza?
Born on April 21, 1994 in La Palma, Michoacán, Espinoza turned professional at 18 years old. Like most of his compatriots, “El Divino” remained very active during the embryonic stages of his career and his power was evident.
Of his 20 knockouts, 15 opponents were stopped in three rounds and seven of them failed to get out of the first round. While none of Espinoza’s opponents were notable, he rose through the ranks last year and had three scheduled 10-round fights before his title shot.
Ramírez’s victory was his introduction to the highest level and a solid indicator of his quality.
When will Naoya Inoue move up to featherweight?
Inoue has already proven himself at super bantamweight and is now the undisputed champion. Stephen Fulton (TKO 8), Marlon Tapales (KO 10) and Luis Nery (KO 6) were arguably the best opponents available at this weight and were all consistently eliminated.
The WBA ordered Inoue to face Murodjon Akhmadaliev next. The Uzbekistan native is a former unified 122-pound champion, but he will be a big underdog against one of the best fighters in the world. If Inoue wins, he will almost run out of worthwhile opponents at super bantamweight and a move up may be necessary.
At the beginning of this year, Inoue spoke with The Ring’s Daisuke Sugiura and stated that weight gain could occur in 2025.
“I’m planning to fight three times this year,” Inoue said. “I’m sure these three fights will take place at super bantamweight. My move up to featherweight will depend on how I feel and how my body feels next year.”
How much bigger is Rafael Espinoza compared to Naoya Inoue?
These numbers are huge. Inoue is 5-5 with a 67 ½-inch reach, while Espinoza is 6-1 with a 74-inch wingspan. Those are the advantages of eight inches of height and six and a half inches of reach.
It’s almost unheard of for a featherweight to go 6-1, but it happens. Inoue has outclassed fighters taller and more agile than him in the past, but nothing like Espinoza.
Can Rafael Espinoza beat Naoya Inoue?
This is where reality kicks in. It’s one thing to beat Robeisy Ramírez and quite another to beat a pound-for-pound superstar like Naoya Inoue.
While Inoue would be dwarfed in terms of height, the Japanese star has the necessary artillery to reduce Espinoza’s size. One can imagine the Monster sliding in and hitting the body almost exclusively.
Espinoza may win a few rounds and cause technical problems. It’s just hard to imagine him maintaining his offense for 12 rounds. Inoue is more likely to get something to end the fight after wearing down the WBO champion with clean, effective punches and a brutal assault to the body.
Both fighters are promoted by Top Rank, so if Espinoza can remain undefeated and retain his world title, then expect to see this showdown in 2025.
