Danny O’Connor finally has a shot at a title against Jose Ramirez

Danny O’Connor was a highly decorated amateur, but his professional career has been up and down. He finally gets a shot at a title against Jose Ramirez.

In 2008, Danny O’Connor was one of the best amateur boxers in the U.S. That’s the year that he won both the U.S. Nationals and the National Golden Gloves tournaments. He was an alternate at the Bejing Olympics. He had a bright future. His professional career has produced mixed results, but on Saturday, July 7, he challenges Jose Ramirez for his WBC super lightweight title.

In 10 years as a professional, this is O’Connor’s first shot at a major world title. As a professional, O’Connor hasn’t shown the same promise he displayed as an amateur. He finished his amateur career with an impressive record of 110-11. He is 30-3 as a pro with 11 knockouts. O’Connor lacks a victory over a notable opponent.

The two best boxers O’Connor has fought, he has lost to. He lost to Vivian Harris in 2013, and he lost twice to Gabriel Bracero. O’Connor was brutally knocked out in Round 1 of their second fight in 2015.

During the press conference for his upcoming fight, O’Connor discussed his knockout loss:

"First and foremost, I’m a father and a husband, so that’s the most important thing. After taking a knockout in that form {a first-round stoppage loss versus Gabriel Bracero in October 2015} when I had never even been dropped in the gym before, I had to assess my personal health to make sure I was able to be that father, that husband I needed to be. It wasn’t so much taking time away from the sport, it was kind of just re-evaluating to make sure I was OK mentally and physically and still able to compete at the level I needed to be in a fight like this."

O’Connor is 4-0 with one knockout since his 2015 knockout loss, but Ramirez is the best opponent he has ever competed against.

Like O’Connor, Ramirez was an amateur standout. He was a U.S. National champion and 2012 Olympian. Both men were amateur standouts, but Ramirez has flourished as a professional. He is 22-0,with 16 knockouts.

Ramirez won the WBC super lightweight title by beating up Amir Imam on his way to an easy decision victory in March. Imam is his only notable victory. He lacks experience against A-level opponents, but so does O’Connor.

O’Connor has the edge in experience, but Ramirez has the gift of youth. He is 25 years old. O’Connor is 33.

O’Connor is a southpaw, which might give Ramirez problems. Fortunately for Ramirez, he is two inches taller than O’Connor at 5-foot-10. He also has a 5-inch reach advantage. O’Connor is going to have a hard time getting inside of Ramirez.

All the odds are against O’Connor. He’s taken a lot of punishment over the years and will have a hard time standing up to the pressure fighting of Ramirez.

O’Connor is an intelligent boxer. He knows what to do to win, but he lacks the athleticism and physical gifts to outbox Ramirez. O’Connor has a big heart and he’s tough, but those attributes alone won’t get him a win against the more physically gifted Ramirez.

The fight takes place in Fresno, California, which is far away from O’Connor’s home in Framingham, Massachusetts. Ramirez is a native of California and should enjoy the home crowd advantage.

The best case scenario for O’Connor is that he stays on his feet and loses a decision. The worst case scenario is that Ramirez gets knockout 17 of his career.

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Regardless of who wins this fight, both men are known for putting on a show. Expect a slugfest between Ramirez and O’Connor.