By Ryan Burton

 

BoxingScene.com caught up with trainer Henry Ramirez to discuss his pupil Jose "Josesito" Lopez's (29-3) upcoming fight versus the unbeaten Jessie Vargas (16-0).  The fight is the opening televised bout on the Floyd Mayweather-Victor Ortiz pay per view card that takes place on September 17th at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.  Ramirez, who also trains heavyweight contender Chris Arreola, talks about Lopez's win streak, what a win over Vargas will do for his career and more in this exclusive BoxingScene interview.

 

BoxingScene:  First off what are your thoughts on Josesito Lopez getting a fight against Jessie Vargas to open up the Floyd Mayweahter-Victor Oritz pay per view card?

 

Henry Ramirez:  We are excited man.  It is a good fight for us.  We jumped at the opportunity when it was presented.  It is on a big event.  Probably the biggest event of the year.

 

BoxingScene:  With Vargas being promoted by Mayweather Promotions they are obviously looking at Jose as a step up type of opponent.  When you look at Vargas' resume he doesn't really have anyone on it at Jose's level.  Were you surprised they picked Jose for for his opponent?

 

Henry Ramirez:  (laughing) Actually I was.  That is why we jumped at the opportunity right away.  Credit to them.  They want to where Jessie Vargas is at.  He is a talented young fighter.  I think he has a win over Vivian Harris which obviously doesn't mean much these days.  At this point in Jose's career he is primed and ready for a fight like this.  We never hesitated on taking the fight for one second as long as the money was right.

 

BoxingScene:  What do you think a win over Vargas on such a big stage will do for Jose's career?

 

Henry Ramirez:  I don't think so much of a win over Vargas as I do a win on such a big stage, you know what I mean.  Jessie Vargas to me is still an unproven prospect.  Not to disrespect him and not to say he is not talented but to me he is kind of an unproven prospect still.  I think it introduces Jose to a whole other audience but he (Vargas) is not some huge name.  It is not like we are fighting a former world champion or something like that.

 

BoxingScene:  If Jose beats Vargas and you combine that with Jose's January win on ESPN over the then unbeaten Mike Dallas it is a pretty good roll that Jose would be on.

 

Henry Ramirez:  Yeah definitely.  It is two good wins.  The Mike Dallas fight some people called an upset.  An upset to who?  There wasn't a doubt in my mind that Jose was going to win that fight.  I am not just saying that because we won.  That fight played out exactly the way I thought it would.  I think Jesse Vargas is a different kind of challenge.  A stiffer challenge but I think Jose is finally ready.

 

BoxingScene:  I know you are concentrating on this fight but iIf you get the win over Vargas like you plan where do you go from there?

 

Henry Ramirez:  We are just concentrating on Jessie Vargas and then we will let everything fall into place after that.

 

BoxingScene:  What else do you have going on with your other fighters?

 

Henry Ramirez:  Not much.  (Chris Arreola was supposed to fight on September 15th but that fight was cancelled)  I have an undefeated bantamweight prospect Jonathan Arellano.  I have also taken over working with Michael Franco.  We are trying to get him a fight.  I am just keeping busy with them and some other guys who have recently made their pro debuts.  Guys that are 1-0 or 2-0.

 

Boxing s cene:  Do you have a message for the fans?

 

Henry Ramirez:  I just want to say thank you to the people that have been supportive and also to the people that continue to hate and the naysayers of Chris and myself and whoever else I work with that is fine (laughing).

 

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