Fernando Vargas (second from left) and Rick Ramos (far right) at the Chicago Board of Options Exchange

CHICAGO – Chicago Board of Options Exchange trader Rick Ramos has a dream: To help make boxing in Chicago a full-time vocation for its fighters and help lift it from “Second City” status.

With a little publicity help from former world champion Fernando Vargas and several investors, Ramos is putting together a management team to salary fighters so they can give their full attention to their dangerous craft.

Taking a few minutes to talk about his venture, he spoke with the Cyber Boxing Zone’s Juan Ayllon over the phone and discussed his plans.

JUAN AYLLON: Tell us about your dream of empowering Chicago fighters.

RICK RAMOS: I just feel that boxing for a lot of Chicago fighters is a part time job. And I think the level of skill in the Chicagoland area isn’t as good as the East Coast or the West Coast or even people down south. So, I’m trying to make it a full-time job for fighters that are hungry enough. You know what I mean?

It’s easy to find guys who are Gold medallists or National champions, but I’m trying to give an opportunity to the guys who just come with “Hungry” on their resume. And I’m trying to make it happen, trying to make it a full-time job for them.

JA: And how do you go about that?

RR: Well, I trade stock options for a living. I’m one of the very few Hispanic traders on there; there’s only about four or five out of about a thousand traders. I also have amateur fights in my background, so I have fought. I have investors and what it is, a lot of fighters, promoters and managers do things on handshakes and I was guilty of that myself. And, you develop a relationship and get into deeper waters with these guys and you have to realize that you have to make things legal to protect yourself and your fighters.

So, basically, what happened was I got a couple people at down at the Board of Options Exchange, who are brokers and who have great businesses, and I told them what I wanted to do.

Vargas receives his I.D. as Ramos looks on

I brought down Fernando Vargas, and that was because we had developed a friendship for probably six years now. We’ve been talking and I always told him, ‘if you fight in Chicago, you’ll have to come down to my work,’ and he’s like, ‘It’s a promise.’ So, he kept his word and came down to the exchange when he fought Castillejo last August.

There were never, ever celebrity athletes or celebrities to ring the opening bell [at the options exchange], so that was a first. He’s part of my Mexican culture. I sold it like that. So, it was a victory on many levels.

I owe him a lot because I was able to come through on my word. [As a result], there were a lot of people that I got their attention and a lot of people wanted to know what I was about. They were all ears, we did it, he came down, and it was awesome. A lot of people started looking my way and said, ‘Tell us what you’ve got, tell us what you want to do,’ and ‘I have a couple dollars.’

I told them what I wanted to do and I didn’t have the funds to give out a salary. And, now that I have investors and partners—I have two partners—now I’m in a situation to give out a salary.

So, like I said, I’m just looking to give opportunity. I want this boxing a part of my life for as long as it makes sense.

JA: And do you have a stable of fighters right now?

RR: Right now I work with Jimmy Sandoval, [IBF Lightweight Title holder] Jesus Chavez’ little brother. I work with Trinidad Garcia, who you guys did an article on. I help out and work with “Macho” [Miguel Hernandez]. I don’t manage anyone. Right now, I want everyone to earn their keep.

Me and “Macho” talked for a while and we didn’t come to an agreement, but he’s obviously a great kid and he’s got tremendous heart.

I just work with these three guys. I’m not managing; I don’t have the title of manager over any of them as of this point. Like I told these guys, I haven’t signed anybody. If they’re interested and I’m interested, [then we can do business], but I can’t give money away. So, I’m looking for guys with “Hungry” on their resume. That’s all I want—guys who are hungry and guys who are looking to work out three, four times a day, not two hours a day.

A lot of these fighters in Chicago they got eight, nine, 10, 11, 12 hour jobs and then they go put in two hours, they can’t put in the hours that world champions can put in. So, I’m trying to eliminate them working a regular job and make boxing a full-time job for them.

JA: Are you advertising, or are how are you planning on getting the word out?

RR: Well, my website will be up—rickramosboxing.com—that’ll be up by August 15th. That’ll be up, you can reach me there. You can see me at the fights. I go to almost all the fights. I’m looking for pros, amateurs, girls, guys, and just see what they’ve got. And I’m willing to help out anyone. Again, as long as they have “Hungry” on their resume, they can definitely catch my attention.

JA: Tell us about your company motto.

RR: My motto for my company, Rick Ramos Boxing, is “Protect yourself at all times.” Again, I’m just trying to make sure that these guys are safe, ‘cause sometimes these guys are working these long days and long hours and trying to compete on the world class level, and it’s tough, as you know. I want to be part of the growing success of Chicago fighters. Whatever I need to do financially and decisions we need to sit down and make, so that these kids are safe and move forward, I’m going to do. Whatever I think is right, then we’ll make the move.

JA: Can you give us an idea of what kind of salary you’d be paying?

RR: Every fighter is different. The further they are along in their pro career, like let’s say the guy’s making $10,000 a fight, six weeks out, I have no problem giving him anywhere from $400 to $700 a week. But, for the younger amateurs, depending on who it is, you know who is a hot prospect who needs to be off the street, who can be a risk to himself if he’s out in the street, then I would give those guys the same deal.

The guy who doesn’t have as many amateur fights, the salary could be lower, or they may have to win four or five fights to qualify for that money. I’m not here to give money away. I’m here to make sure the hunger’s in their eyes and to make it happen. And, my company motto is, “Protect yourself at all times.” I’m trying to protect me, the fighter and make it all happen.

And, I think the number one problem with Chicago boxing is that it’s a part-time job for everybody and it kind of sucks. There’s very few people who do it full-time in Chicago and I’m trying to change it, one fighter at a time.