NEW YORK, NY — John Ramirez got the name “Scrappy” from his football coach in middle school and continued to gain a knack while competing on the soccer pitch and basketball court in the Los Angeles area. 

The name stuck, back then it was his competitiveness that made him known as “Scrappy.”

It culminated with a love and passion for boxing and at just 20-years of age, which isn’t really a late start for an aspiring fighter, he made major steps forward in enhancing his skills. They test the waters and give it a shot. After all championships and belts come and go—but in Scrappy’s case, now 30-years-old —his constant dedication to boxing has had no impact with age. 

You could find “Scrappy” in the boxing gym often at Brickhouse Boxing Club in Los Angeles with his trainer and coach Julian Chua.

After spending part of his childhood in Honduras, where he moved at age eight and returned to the U.S. at 12, John “Scrappy” Ramirez, with two older brothers lost to violence, remained committed to boxing as an escape from the environment around him by navigating life independently while his mother worked long hours – Image Credit: Cris Esqueda/Golden Boy

“I started boxing to become a world champion,” Ramirez (17-1-0, 9 KOs) says. “That’s my main goal. Second, sooner or later, I will want to avenge my loss versus David Jimenez because I know he’s not better than me. “

He was referring to that lone blemish to Jimenez (18-1-0, 12 KOs), a super flyweight champion, who won the interim WBA title by unanimous decision (April of 2024) at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

The scores after 12 rounds were wide in the co-main event fight prior to the controversial David Haney-Ryan Garcia junior welterweight title clash promoted by Golden Boy Boxing and Oscar De La Hoya.

Ramirez accepted the defeat, two years later at times still believing he won with judges scores going the other way at 117-111 2x, 116-112. It appeared to ringside observers to be closer on the scorecards, perhaps a draw.

Regardless he seeks redemption as most fighters do after a championship opportunity that resulted in a loss. Ramirez plans to travel to Tokyo, Japan later this month to witness up close Jimenez defend his WBA junior bantam weight title versus No. 1 contender Seigo Yuri Akui. He wants the title no matter who prevails in Japan at Korakuen Hall.

“I’m not waiting for him,” he said about Jimenez. “My main goal is the world title, point blank. I don’t care about him. First is the world title. I started boxing at the age of 20. That’s not normal. I’m currently 30 now.” 

He has some Mexican heritage as an Afro-Latino, and revealed to Latino Sports: “I’m half Belizean, half Honduran and then my mother is Guatemalan.” 

He represents his roots each time he fights and is willing to take the punches while waiting for his time to answer back. That’s Scrappy on a maximum level when he steps foot in the ring. 

Under the Golden Boy Promotions banner, working daily with Hall of Famer De La Hoya, chances at a title fight are imminent. They talk often, a working fighter-promotional relationship that has worked, not many do with the lucrative amount of money offered from other promoters that create buzz. At times, their persistence becomes reality. And loyalty at times in boxing is difficult to find.

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With two Doberman Pinscher dogs adorning Ramirez’s lap at his home in Los Angeles, an extended part of his family, he said about De La Hoya: “I have nothing to complain about with Golden Boy. They got me where I wanted to and that was a world title. So I got the opportunity. It was on me where I didn’t capitalize, but it was a lesson learned.”

He added: “Now, also, you know, I’m working. There’s about five top promoters in the boxing world. Oscar De La Hoya is the only promoter-former boxer, meaning he had a career, you know, as a fighter. So it’s a blessing to be to have him on my side and helping me pave my career my way.”

John "Scrappy" Ramirez knows how to make an entrance 🎞️#RochaYoung pic.twitter.com/8reU9DkCjt

— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) May 28, 2023

It works that way in boxing, some components of a nasty business go beyond expectations, then again some don’t. Ramirez, though has focus, knows the business side, history, and is basically a student of the sport. And on the right track of fulfilling a goal from the first day he laced up the gloves.

“It’s not easy,” he said about the business and taking that championship loss in New York. “In order to get where I am today, you got to go through those hard moments. And that’s something that I understand. You know, my father installed that in me. So I’m just a little different when it comes to when we take losses, I like to tell people it’s not easy, but we’re hanging strong.”

That boxing mentality is all about taking it one-step-at a time. The Hall of Fame champions that shine on the walls upstate in Canastota, New York related to the demands of a business, taking punches and championship fights that awaited their destiny. Ramirez has the experience and to him, it’s just the beginning awaiting that next opportunity for a major title.

Now training at Brickhouse Boxing Club in Los Angeles under coach Julian Chua, alongside former world champion Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramírez, John “Scrappy” Ramirez continues sharpening his craft through a blend of discipline, grit and determination – Image Credit: Golden Boy Promotions

Charisma he has, tattoos laced over his body that all define something of importance to him and his life. His style orthodox and built momentum with four straight wins, the latest via 10-round unanimous decision in early May over Lucas Emanuel Fernandez (15-5-2, 9 KOs) at the San Jose Sap Center. His fights are streamed live on DAZN which leads to plenty of exposure as the global home of boxing. 

“I have not reached my full potential as a boxer,” Ramirez said. “And, you know, one thing about boxing, I love boxing and I hate boxing. Sometimes boxing, man, I feel like we feel like slaves, you know, it’s because the way the business is structured right now is the way the business is structured.” 

But the structure of boxing is working for a fighter named “Scrappy.” A name that fits.

You can follow and reach John “Scrappy” Ramirez on Instagram @ScrappyBoxing.

Rich Mancuso is a senior writer for Latino Sports, who covers Major League Baseball (MLB), Boxing, and Major League Soccer (MLS). You can follow him on X/Twitter @Ring786 and to stay in the know on all boxing, watch Rich’s weekly show, Keep It In The Ring, available on his Youtube channel. 

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