Ramirez beats Imam to win WBC 140-pound title

Associated Press

NEW YORK

Jose Ramirez won his first world title Saturday night with a unanimous decision victory over Amir Imam to win the WBC’s vacant 140-pound belt.

Ramirez pulled away in the late rounds, swelling Imam’s right eye in the process to take the title that became open when Terence Crawford moved up to welterweight.

Ramirez, a 2012 U.S. Olympian, won by scores of 120-108, 117-111 and 115-113. He improved to 22-0 with 16 knockouts.

The Associated Press scored it 118-110 for Ramirez.

Imam fell to 21-2.

“I should have done more to the body,” he said. “And I needed to. I just keep thinking about all the things I should have done.”

Ramirez relentlessly pressured Imam and pounded away with hard left hooks, and Imam just couldn’t keep him off for all three minutes.