The expected fight between Jose Ramirez and Richard Commey is now all but official, as that the bout will happen as anticipated on March 25 in Fresno, Calif., where Ramirez is a strong live draw.

The ESPN card will also feature Seniesa Estrada, who will face Tina Rupprecht in a two-belt, 105 lb unification bout.

Former 140 lb titleholder Ramirez (27-1, 17 KO) recently passed on a WBC order to face Regis Prograis, citing the sanctioning body’s rulebook purse split and the fight “not being promoted properly,” despite the fact it wasn’t signed or anything.

The fight could, of course, go back to the table later this year without a WBC purse bid at all involved, just the sides negotiating, but first the 30-year-old Ramirez will now need to get through Commey (30-4-1, 27 KO), a former lightweight titlist. Commey, 35, is 1-2-1 in his last four, and just moved up to 140 last August for a draw with Jose Pedraza. Prior to that, he lost to Vasiliy Lomachenko, and also lost to Teofimo Lopez in 2019. Between those two bouts, he knocked out Jackson Marinez in early 2021. The Ghanaian veteran is a dangerous puncher and always game, so this isn’t one Ramirez can sleep on.