Hooker vs Ramirez: Jose Ramires adds WBO title to his WBC crown
Ramirez: 'I want the other titles, that's my main goal'
Sunday 28 July 2019 10:52, UK
Jose Ramirez scored a sensational stoppage against Maurice Hooker to unify the super-lightweight titles at the College Park Center in Arlington, Texas.
Ramirez added the WBO title to his WBC crown after stopping Hooker in six rounds in front of his hometown fans and handing the Texan his first loss of his professional defeat of his career.
"I am very happy. This just lets me know that I am on the right track to becoming a better fighter, a better professional. I am ready for anyone now," Ramirez said on Sky Sports.
"I felt very confident within my skills just like any fighter. A real champion has faith in themselves. I believe in my team, I believe in myself. I came here with one mission: to become the unified champion and I did it. I am the very best guy."
The 26-year-old caught an off-balance Hooker with his first punch and was wrongly credited with a knockdown shortly afterwards when his man stumbled over when back-tracking after his lead foot had been trodden on.
Hooker started off the second round by pumping out his long jab, but Ramirez responded by backing his opponent up onto the ropes and swinging in some hurtful hooks to the body before switching to the head.
The hometown hero landed to the head and body in a lively third before Ramirez came charging back with combinations and both men were still trading punches after the bell had sounded.
After an evenly fought fourth, Ramirez caught his opponent with a left hook to the head in the fifth and hurt him with a body shot, but Hooker battled back strongly and caught the Californian upstairs with swinging shots.
"I was playing around with my jab hand and I lost focus. That just shows you, one second with a top fighter can change everything."
