Holder of the unified WBC and WBO Super Lightweight Champion Jose Ramirez added another feather to his cap when he received the Athlete of the Year Award at the 43rd edition of SoI Business Awards held on the night of December 5 at Burbank, California.
Ramirez has been given this award not only for his work inside the ring but also for his great work as an ambassador for social causes. His biggest sporting achievement this year was unifying the WBC and WBO titles in super lightweight category by defeating Maurice Hooker in the month of July.
This has established him as the leading boxing figure in his category. But that's not where the appeal of Ramirez ends. The 27-year old has also campaigned on issues like water conservation, cancer, immigration, etc.
Speaking on the occasion, the undefeated boxer said: "I'm grateful for this recognition, I'm just getting started. I truly hope I can continue to win the fights inside the ring, so I can fight the ones to help my community outside the ring.
"Once you are a Champion, it is a huge responsibility to not only stay a Champion, but set an example for the community, for the world, together we can fight many causes and build even more Champions!"
Ramirez, who is promoted by lawyer and businessman Bob Arum, had also represented United States of America in the 2012 London Olympics. He was the top-ranked boxer in the amateur circuit during that phase of his career. However, he failed to win a medal at the Summer Games.
Later in the year, he decided to turn professional. What followed was an unbeaten streak that stands at 25-0 at the moment. He won the WBC title by defeating Amir Imam on March 17 last year. He unified the two titles on July 27, 2019. He will defend both the belts on February 1 next year against Viktor Postol in Haikou, China.
