NEW YORK, NY — Jose Ramirez, the WBO and WBC super lightweight titlist, announced that he’s signed a multi-year, minimum eight-fight contract promotional extension with Top Rank on Saturday at Madison Square Garden, before WBO welterweight titlist Terence Crawford’s defense against Egidijus Kavaliauskas.

Though the announcement was made on Saturday, Ramirez (25-0, 17 knockouts) actually signed the deal earlier this year before he unified the titles with his victory over Maurice Hooker in August.

Ramirez says the deal is for three years, with two fights per year.

“Top Rank wanted me to wait for a fight to be on ESPN,” Ramirez said. “It’s a minimum of two fights a year, and six fights over the (life) of the contract. Most contracts are based on who wins.

“My contract says it doesn’t matter who I fight, and it guarantees me a good amount. Even if I lose, I’m guaranteed the minimum in the contract, which I think no other fighter gets. This makes me very secure. Some contracts with other fighters are based on who they fight.

“Overall, with the security I’ll have with this contract places me in a spot.”

Ramirez is scheduled to former titlist Viktor Postol (31-2, 12 KOs) on Feb. 1 (ESPN/ESPN Deportes, 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT) at Mission Hills Haikou, in Haikou, China. The fight occurs after Ramirez’s six-round unification victory over Maurice Hooker on July 27, which was followed by surgery on his left hand.

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