Jose Ramirez to face Antonio Orozco on September 14th

WBC Super Lightweight Champion Jose Ramirez has an opponent for his September 14th return: unbeaten Antonio Orozco, whom Top Rank’s Todd duBoef confirmed will meet Ramirez in Fresno.

The card will be televised on ESPN.

Orozco (27-0, 17 KO) has had what some might refer to as a circuitous career path. His prospect status took a hit in 2015 thanks to a controversial decision over Humberto Soto, but he’s put on some decent performances since. The complicating factor, and what makes this matchup look like Top Rank is tempting fate, is that Orozco disastrously blew two different weight cuts in in recent years, getting hospitalized before a planned fight with Fidel Maldonado Jr. and coming in at the welterweight limit for a later-cancelled super lightweight fight against Roberto Ortiz.

Ramirez (22-0, 16 KO) defeated Amir Imam for the belt in March, following up a breakout beating of unbeaten Mike Reed. He was supposed to fight this past Saturday, but opponent Danny O’Connor was deemed unfit to compete and hospitalized after a brutal weight cut.