WBC's Ramirez gets TKO in unification bout
WBC champion Jose Ramirez has delivered a series of punches to the head of WBO champion Maurice Hooker to quickly end the world super lightweight unification boxing bout against WBO champ Maurice Hooker.
Ramirez connected on two lefts to the head of Hooker, knocking the stunned hometown fighter into the ropes in the sixth round on Saturday night.
"He didn't know how hard I hit until the moment came," Ramirez said after the clash in Arlington, Texas.
The WBC champion from California then kept punching before referee Mark Nelson ended the scheduled 12-round bout, with Ramirez winning with a TKO.
"It was a good stoppage. I was hurt," Hooker said.
"I will be back. This isn't the end for me."
It was the third title defence for Ramirez, who improved to 25-0 with his 17th knockout.
His first two title defences came at home in California.
Hooker dropped 26-1, losing in his third title defence - the first at home for the 29-year-old from Dallas.
Before the main event, there was a memorial 10 count of the bell for 1984 Olympic gold medallist and four-division champion Pernell "Sweet Pea" Whitaker and two fighters who died this week after bouts last weekend.
Both title fights on the undercard went the distance for unanimous decisions.
Tevin Farmer defended his IBF world super featherweight title for the fourth time in less than a year and Tramaine Williams won a 10-rounder for the vacant USBA super bantamweight title.
