EXCLUSIVE Ray Beltran: ‘If judges can’t do their job, get them out’

Ray Beltran

MEXICAN lightweight Ray Beltran is working to force his way to a world title fight. His next bout will be on August 5, on Vasyl Lomachenkoโ€™s undercard at the Microsoft Theatre in Los Angeles, against Bryan Vasquez.

โ€œHeโ€™s tough, a tough opponent, he comes to fight and he can take a punch. I expect a physical fight. Iโ€™ll get ready and prepare myself for a hard fight. Weโ€™re getting ready,โ€ Beltran tells Boxing News.

It will be his second fight of the year, after he knocked out Jonathan Maicelo in May. โ€œI think itโ€™s good. I love it. I prefer to stay busy, stay in shape and fighting. I donโ€™t want to spend too much time off. I want to fight and be busy and keep the rhythm,โ€ Ray continued. โ€œWeโ€™re working to get another title, hopefully after this fight. Weโ€™ll see what weโ€™ve got and what the opportunities are. Weโ€™re trying to position ourselves to become mandatory in the most sanctioning bodies possible, because itโ€™s been really hard to get an opportunity, we feel like theyโ€™re avoiding us and they donโ€™t want to fight us so weโ€™re trying to become mandatory so theyโ€™ve got nowhere to go.โ€

Beltran is keen to fight the best at 135lbs. โ€œRight now weโ€™re mandatory for the IBF, we also might fight for the WBC. Mikey Garcia, Terry Flanagan, [Jorge] Linares, Iโ€™ll fight everybody. I just want to get that opportunity,โ€ he said. โ€œWeโ€™ll see what happens in the future.โ€

The Mexican has fought Ricky Burns and Terence Crawford for the WBO title and would love to challenge their reigning champion. โ€œTerry Flanaganโ€™s a really good fighter, heโ€™s a champion. Heโ€™s improving,โ€ he said. โ€œI respect him. Iโ€™ve got nothing bad to say about him. Heโ€™s a really good champion. Heโ€™s just one of the guys on my list and I think Iโ€™ve got what it takes to beat him.

โ€œAll the champions are good. Itโ€™s good for us. I love it. It really motivates me to work hard and become a champion, and get respect.โ€

However he is concerned about judging and decisions in the sport. Heโ€™s been unlucky in the past himself.

โ€œThe judges, they do whatever they want and they donโ€™t get sanctioned. They should do something about it. Itโ€™s not good for boxing,โ€ Beltran mused. โ€œThe only one who gets sanctioned is the boxer. Other than that nobody, not the referee, not the judges, nobody. Itโ€™s not fair. If we make a mistake and we pay for it, okay we pay for it. But if somebody else makes a mistake and itโ€™s obvious itโ€™s corruption, they should do something about it. Itโ€™s just unacceptable.

โ€œTheyโ€™re stealing money from boxing fans. Itโ€™s not fair. Theyโ€™re going to kill boxing if they donโ€™t make a change. If they canโ€™t do their job then get them out.โ€

ray beltran

He points to Manny Pacquiaoโ€™s recent Australian misadventure as another example. โ€œThe referee did a horrible job. Jeff Horn was fighting dirty and the referee didnโ€™t do anything,โ€ Beltran said. โ€œHe was fighting so dirty. He did what he had to do to get the win but thatโ€™s the refereeโ€™s job, to keep a close eye and the judges, itโ€™s stupid, itโ€™s ridiculous. Iโ€™m scared what they can do to me.โ€

He added ominously, โ€œItโ€™s getting worse.โ€

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