Jose Ramirez, Oscar Valdez advocate for facemasks in new PSAs
World champion boxers Jose Ramirez and Oscar Valdez know a thing or two about fighting in the ring.
They’re using their influence to fight against the coronavirus, too.
Ramirez and Valdez have partnered with Clark County to produce public service announcements, advocating for the use of facemasks amid the pandemic.
The ads are geared specifically toward the Latino community, and available to broadcast and digital media outlets in English and Spanish. The PSAs are quite similar, and open with montages of boxers defending punches.
“You have to know when to cover up. And if you don’t, things can get ugly really fast,” Ramirez and Valdez say over the footage. “Now’s the time to cover up — to protect yourself and others.”
Ramirez (25-0, 17 knockouts) and Valdez (28-0, 22 KOs) both conclude the PSA by brandishing and wearing masks.
“Cover up and wear a mask, so we can all keep fighting,” they said.
Ramirez, 27, holds the WBC and WBO super lightweight titles, and will defend both belts against Viktor Postol on Aug. 29 inside MGM Grand’s Grand Ballroom.
The 29-year-old Valdez once held the WBO featherweight championship, but moved up to to super featherweight last fall. He beat Jayson Velez last month by decision at MGM Grand and could fight WBC champion Miguel Berchelt this fall.
Ramirez and Valdez are promoted by Top Rank, which is headquartered in Las Vegas.
Contact reporter Sam Gordon at sgordon@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BySamGordon on Twitter.
