Max Kellerman was on the Ryen Russillo podcast this week, and made a great point of why boxing is the most popular sport, Kellerman explained that if all sports occurred on one corner a fistfight would be the one people watch. Well, I paraphrased it, but essentially that was the point.

So why isn’t Jose Ramirez versus Josh Taylor, for the definitive unified, undisputed champion between IBF and WBA super lightweight world champion Josh Taylor taking on WBC and WBO super lightweight world champion Jose Ramirez, getting more attention?

In short, fans and media haven’t built relationships with either fighter, so the emotional connection isn’t there, as well as it feels like many are assuming this fight will be the crown of Josh Taylor, a popular Scottish fighter, who the media and fans have gravitated towards over Ramirez, somewhat unfairly.

Taylor didn’t get a network deal for back home in Scotland, as Fite.TV will provide the coverage not BT Sport or Sky Sports, and in the U.S. Jose Ramirez’s career has been ignored and disrespected by pundits who didn’t attend his fights.

So why is that? – Perception is reality.

Ramirez has had two shaky performance, one against Viktor Postol, a former training partner, and sparring partner that was heavily delayed, in which Ramirez looked tired, and not himself, as well as his fight against southpaw Jose “Chon” Zepeda, that saw Ramirez knick a close split-decision. In short, Ramirez has looked his worst against movers – and Taylor has elements to his game in which he moves.

Yet, Taylor despite nearly getting dropped by Viktor Postol, who won a wide decision against him on the cards, and as well as beat Regis Prograis by a close decision and Ivan Baranchyk, Taylor gets hit a lot for someone labeled a well-rounded boxer, and that is in part because of his temperament, one of which to bully his foe. As odd as it may sound the main reason for Taylor’s popularity, in America, might be how beloved Regis Prograis has become, and the fact that Taylor beating Prograis is weighted heavier by some based on knowing who Prograis is. One could even, argue that Regis Prograis against either fighter would be a bigger fight currently, even though it wouldn’t be a for all the belts.

Ramirez, a 2012 Olympian, who has defeated Mike Reed, Maurice Hooker, Amir Imam, Antonio Orozco, amongst others is being written off in this close fight, and it is largely, because across the country fans and writers haven’t tuned into his fights. Not unlike the 2009-2010 Warriors, in which east coast media wouldn’t acknowledge the teams talents, because they didn’t watch the games, Ramirez is a star in the central valley, but the rest of the country hasn’t tuned in, for the most part.

Now in a crowning fight – I was hoping would be a graduation of one fighter to the elite tier, as a fighter who is capable of having a hall-of-fame track career, it isn’t even on most media’s radar or content, on Thursday, May 20th, two days before the fight.

So why do I care?

I care, because Jose Ramirez helped elevate my career, and get me to the next level, and those years in rural California helped shape my ability to cover the sport. Despite, having such a connection to one fighter in this bout, I felt the overcome all odds story of Ramirez would make him a big draw for this fight, yet, the promotion has largely been about Josh Taylor and his team, with Jose simply training to sell the fight, the rare exception being the Thursday and Friday antics from Taylor that seemed to annoy a calm Ramirez.

I think also care since some of my last memories of my Aunt Mary, were in fact, spending time with her, in the Fresno-area during fight week. I wish I had of been better about bonding, but the grind of the road is tough, you trying to bond, but often you’re alone, most of the time. Jose Ramirez will always remind me of my aunt, and bring back both the good times and the regrets I will always had.

Veteran promoter, and hall-of-famer Bob Arum of Top Rank Inc, shares my excitement as well.

“”I’m very excited. Now at the end of this pandemic, we have the best fight of the whole pandemic experience. We don’t have to sell anything about this fight. We just mention the fighters. They are both undefeated, both former Olympians, both world champions. This will be a great fight!” said the legend himself, Bob Arum about this fight on Thursday’s press conference,

It seems the brilliance of the two in terms of getting one excited for the bout is when they’re next to one and another. They’re spiritual opposites, not unlike lets years mega-fight between Vasyl Lomachenko and Teofimo Lopez. The ground on which Taylor and Ramirez stand on to fight, are different, and that is where the drama comes from.

“I believe a fighter like Taylor will bring out the best in me. He is a technical fighter, and when you face a fighter like that, you see everything clearly. You will see all the small things that I have worked on and that will show the experience I have as a fighter. You will see all my skills, and I will put on a show against a great fighter,” said Ramirez to the press on Thursday. “It’s an honor for me to face a great fighter like Taylor. This will be the best fight of the year.”

Taylor was a bit different in tone.

“I respect every fighter that jumps in the ring. You don’t become a unified champion out of anywhere. You have to be a great fighter. I highly respect him. He is a great fighter and a great person, but on Saturday night, as soon as that bell rings, all that goes out the window,” said Taylor. “I’m confident I’m getting the KO on Saturday.”

For those unaware, after a heated weigh-in, Josh Taylor pushed Jose Ramirez as Ramirez waited for his elevator to take him to his room. The push started a circus of people running and causing a mild brawl. Taylor and his team, were put in an elevator with Top Rank PR ace, Evan Korn, as Taylor was not to be seen from until tomorrow, as Ramirez normally mild-mannered looked annoyed and angered.

“I want to break my hands on his face,” said Ramirez to Top Rank’s video staff that produces their Real Time YouTube series.

Taylor is bringing fight week antics to tick off a mild mannered Ramirez, who is always respectful of his opponents prior. For Ramirez, from my perspective looking in, Ramirez is a genuine person, who wants to give honest, concise, and if asked in the right manner, thoughtful answers to questions. The loud and abrasive persona of Taylor, is everything that Ramirez isn’t, and now they will collide on the grounds of solving their conflict in the ring for all the belts

As my lowly article hits the internet as we try to take advantage of SEO search traffic as much as great content, and hope to get a couple hundred views, it is clear, the formula to get this fight into the collective conscious of the world was to put these two together, early and often, yet with COVID-19, it just made it hard to have that occur, and now it is the day of the fight.

As the two fighters, who hold two world titles, weigh-in at the identical weights, 139.6 lbs. Now matter how we got here, the fight is upon us, and for those of us, who enjoy a good ol’ fashion fist, and not talking about earning potential of a fighter, this is all that we ever wanted – an even fight in which we don’t know who will win.

Jose Ramirez vs Josh Taylor, takes place tonight, Saturday, May 22nd, at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes & ESPN+ @ The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, with the undercard broadcast on ESPN+