WBC champion Jose Ramirez delivered a series of punches to the head of WBO champion Maurice Hooker, who was pinned against the ropes and taking a pummeling when referee Mark Nelson stepped in and stopped the world super lightweight unification bout in the sixth round Saturday night.
Ramirez connected on two lefts to the head of Hooker, knocking the stunned hometown fighter into the ropes. The WBC champion from California then kept punching before the scheduled 12-round bout was stopped.
It was the third title defense for Ramirez, who improved to 25-0 with his 17th knockout. His first two title defenses came at home in California.
Hooker dropped 26-1, losing in his third title defense — 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 medalist 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.