by Francisco Salazar

It is the consummate crossroads bout tonight between Rico Ramos and Erik Ruiz.

Both are need of a win. A loss solidifies their current status as a gatekeeper.

Ramos and Ruiz square off tonight in a 10 round junior featherweight bout at the Downtown Las Vegas (Nev.) Events Center.

Ramos (26-5, 13 KOs) has won his last two bouts, but is not the same fighter who the WBA World junior featherweight title in July of 2011. He would lose the belt in his first title defense against Guillermo Rigondeaux.

The 29-year-old Ramos also has losses to Ronny Rios and Jesus Cuellar.

Ramos will be the best fighter on paper Ruiz will face so far in his career.

Ruiz (16-5-1, 6 KOs), who hails from the boxing hotbed of Oxnard, has revitalized his career in recent fights.

The 26-year-old Ruiz fought to a 10 round split decision draw against Horacio Garcia on May 6, a fight many observers at ringside believed Ruiz did enough to win.

In his last bout on Sept. 30, Ruiz won a 10 round majority decision over fringe contender Hanzel Martinez.

Welterweight Flavio Rodriguez (6-0, 5 KOs) will face David Thomas (6-1, 2 KOs) in a six round bout.

Las Vegas resident and bantamweight Max Ornelas (7-0, 3 KOs) faces veteran Felipe Rivas (17-18-4, 11 KOs) in a six round bout. 

Junior lightweight Randy Moreno (8-0, 7 KOs) will face Thomas Herrera (10-16, 7 KOs) in a six round bout.

Francisco A. Salazar has written for Boxingscene.com since September of 2012 and has covered boxing in Southern California and abroad since 2000. Francisco also covers boxing for the Ventura County (Calif.) Star newspaper, RingTV, and Knockout Nation. He can be reached by email at santio89@yahoo.com or on Twitter at FSalazarBoxing