Abel Ramos Upsets Tahmir Smalls by Split Decision

Abel Ramos handed Tahmir Smalls the first loss of his professional career Saturday night, earning a split decision in their 10-round welterweight bout at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona.

The fight aired on DAZN as part of the undercard to Emanuel Navarrete vs. Eduardo Nunez under the Matchroom Boxing banner.

Two judges scored the bout 98-92 and 97-93 for Ramos, while the third had it 96-94 for Smalls. Ramos improved to 29-6-3 with 22 knockouts. Smalls dropped to 16-1 with 11 knockouts.

Smalls controlled much of the early portion of the fight. The Philadelphia native established his jab and used steady movement to manage distance, building a lead through the opening rounds. Ramos, fighting out of Casa Grande, Arizona, worked patiently but spent stretches reacting rather than initiating.

The direction of the contest changed in the middle rounds as Ramos increased his body work. He pressed forward with sustained pressure and forced exchanges at closer range, investing downstairs with both hands. Ramos continued working downstairs in the middle rounds, and Smalls spent more time along the ropes as the fight progressed.

Ramos also connected with clean shots upstairs during the later rounds, including a right hand that momentarily unsettled Smalls. No knockdowns were recorded. A late fall by Smalls was ruled a slip.

According to CompuBox, Ramos landed 127 total punches. Complete punch totals for Smalls were not widely reported, though ringside coverage credited Ramos’ pressure and body work as the separating factor during the closing rounds.

The decision was competitive on the scorecards, but Ramos’ sustained second-half effort secured the verdict on two of the three cards. After the fight, he expressed interest in facing higher-profile opponents at 147 pounds.

The result strengthens Ramos’ position in the welterweight division while marking a setback for Smalls as he absorbs the first defeat of his career.