Jhon Orobio’s victory over Antonio Moran last night could very well be the one that completely changes the way we perceive his career.
Moran was not just a passing opponent. The Mexican had already shared the ring with some of the best boxers on the planet. Orobio ultimately stopped him in the fourth round, once again confirming that he is ready to take another step forward.
After the fight, I had the chance to speak with Marc Ramsay. During our conversation, one thing particularly caught my attention: Ramsay explained to me that he now had to find a boxer capable of coming in and doing rounds with El Tigre, so he could continue preparing him and gaining experience.
And that’s when I thought: we’re no longer having the same conversation.
Jhon Orobio is no longer simply a prospect being developed patiently, with his opponents carefully selected to allow him to progress at his own pace. With this victory over Antonio Moran, he has moved into another category: that of a contender.
Photo: Vitor Munhoz – Marc Ramsay and Jhon Orobio (left)
The rankings will soon reflect this change in status. And judging by what I’m seeing on Twitter, Orobio has become a favorite among the experts: Fight Ghost calls him a dangerous man in the ring, while Magic M describes him as a star ready to shine. A new question will inevitably arise: which world champion will be in Jhon Orobio’s sights?
Because now, Orobio doesn’t just need to learn. He needs to get ready to hunt.
The next step is to bring him to the level where he can face the best in his division. And to get there, he needs rounds, experience, and above all, training partners capable of giving him different problems from the ones he normally encounters.
So, if Marc Ramsay and his trainer Samuel Décarie-Drolet need to find someone to do rounds with Jhon Orobio, I asked myself the following question: which boxers would I like to see in the ring with him to help him take this next step? I also consulted experts I respect to broaden my horizons.
Photo: Vitor Munhoz – Antonio Moran vs Jhon Orobio
Noé Cloutier’s picks
My boss Noé Cloutier has two interesting choices: Gustavo Daniel Lemos and Alan David Crenz.
Nicknamed El Electrico, Lemos has a 30-2 record, has defeated Lee Selby, and gave Richardson Hitchins hell. The only blemish is that Keyshawn Davis knocked him out in just two rounds. I find him interesting from a media perspective and because an Orobio victory over him would make some noise, but if the goal is to get rounds in, I’d look elsewhere.
Alan David Crenz is a massive-hitting 25-year-old Argentine whom we know from the World Series of Boxing. He has an 18-2 record with 17 KOs. I can’t tell you whether he can go the distance… But he has enough power to earn respect, and we might see Orobio forced to be technical and cautious early in the fight—something he has never really been forced to do since the beginning of his career. On top of that, Crenz still has the youth and hunger to want to win; he wouldn’t come to Quebec just to take pictures at the stadium and go shopping at Complexe Desjardins, but with the hope of launching his career with a victory. I prefer my boss Noé Cloutier’s second choice.
Photo: IG – Alan David Crenz
The artificial intelligence’s picks
Hi ChatGPT, I’m looking for the perfect opponent to face Jhon Orobio next November. You need to take the IBF rankings into account, find a durable and respected opponent because it’s essential that he gets rounds in, and as a bonus, his nickname has to be intimidating.
Response: after reading your articles—all of which are very good, by the way—and following a complete review of the records and reputations of all the 140-pound boxers in the world, only one choice stands out. Irish boxer Sean McComb, with a 22-2 record, only 6 KOs, and standing over six feet tall, has suffered just one knockout loss. He is ranked 14th by the IBF and 39th on BoxRec. He regularly complains that the elite avoid him because he is a dangerous and relatively unknown boxer. He is a southpaw with excellent technique who likes to use his size, jab, and work from distance. Take a look at his fight against Alexis Sanchez to understand exactly what I’m talking about.
McComb has fought many 10-round bouts. In particular, he has won 10-round decisions against:
-Sam Maxwell
-Alejandro Moya
-Kaisee Benjamin
-Zsolt Osadan
-Ben Crocker
And he went 10 rounds with Arnold Barboza Jr. in an extremely close fight that he lost by split decision. One judge even scored the fight 98-92 in his favor.
And as for his nickname, he goes by The Public Nuisance.
Photo: Facebook – Sean McComb (right)
Laurent Poulin’s picks
I might as well ask myself the same question: I love the idea of Sandor Martin, 43-4, a 33-year-old southpaw with an enormous amount of experience when it comes to getting rounds in.
-12 rounds against Alberto Puello in 2025 — split-decision loss for the WBC title
-10 rounds against Teófimo López — split decision
-10 rounds against Mikey Garcia — majority-decision victory
-12 rounds against Kay Prospere
-12 rounds against Joe Hughes
And the Spaniard doesn’t survive by simply staying in fights; he boxes to win. Highly technical, he works from distance with his jab, is nearly impossible to trap in a corner, and uses his movement to make you look bad. Want some highlights? He dropped Teófimo López in the second round and defeated Mikey Garcia. Here, I recognize a serious problem: this is extremely risky, and Sandor Martin could very well go home with the W. Am I being too greedy, too eager? I’m afraid so.
Photo: Bad Left Hook – Sandor Martin (right)
Alfredo Santiago is a Dominican boxer who checks every box except activity. He has a 17-2 record, went the distance against Devin Haney in a 12-round fight, and suffered a ninth-round loss to Ricardo Nunez. He knocked out Javier Fortuna in his last outing in March 2025. He is an upset specialist: he shocked the entire boxing world by defeating Angel Fierro on DAZN. He is extremely effective and instinctive in the ring, likes to pepper his opponents with his left hand, move around, and throw combinations with both hands. On top of that, he likes to plant his feet and trade at certain moments in the fight. Santiago vs. Orobio would be a Fight of the Year candidate before the opening bell even rings.
The Quebec fans’ picks
I always ask myself the following question when I want to help EOTTM and its matchmaker Jordan Mathieu build the best path for a boxer: do we have an opponent available here in Quebec?
Even though it’s complicated—the money, the egos, the promotional and management teams behind our boxers—I came up with two who could work in November.
Steve Claggett combines experience and hard work, and he always puts on a show.
Mathieu Germain would bring a level of ring intelligence that could cause Orobio some problems; after all, he went 12 rounds with a monster like Dalton Smith.
Photo: Vitor Munhoz – Jhon Orobio vs Antonio Moran
Laurent’s verdict
In the end, five names, five styles, five different scenarios for sending Jhon Orobio toward what’s next. Lemos and Crenz bring the noise, McComb brings volume and size, Martin and Santiago immediately raise the level of risk, while the Quebec duo keeps everything close to home.
But in this kind of exercise, you have to choose between two approaches: protect or test. Doing rounds against a hungry young puncher like Crenz means accepting that Orobio will finally have to adapt, step outside his comfort zone, and deal with a real danger from the opening rounds—without exposing him to a boxer of Sandor Martin’s caliber, who could simply take the victory away from him.
So my choice is Alan David Crenz. Not because of the spectacle, nor to check a box on the IBF rankings, but because a hungry young puncher is exactly the kind of adversity that prepares a future champion to answer questions he has never had to face before. Orobio no longer needs to learn how to win. Now he needs to learn how to suffer a little, so he’ll be ready when he truly faces the elite of the 140-pound division.
