Ramirez-Hooker was all the things boxing may (and will) be
Opening Bell: The whole lot proper about boxing
ARLINGTON, Texas – From the negotiations that have been dealt with rapidly and professionally, to an excellent buildup, to a improbable battle of the 12 months contender, to sportsmanship and humility within the aftermath, the Jose Ramirez-Maurice Hooker junior welterweight title unification battle put all the things that’s proper about boxing on show.
It was a gem of a battle on Saturday evening that the majority would by no means have anticipated to occur within the first place. However with political will on each side, a aggressive, but pleasant relationship between Prime Rank’s Bob Arum and Matchroom Boxing’s Eddie Hearn (to not point out $Four million-plus for the Ramirez/Prime Rank facet), the deal received accomplished as a result of, ultimately, cash talks in boxing.
Boxing would thrive in a significant manner if extra offers and fights like this one may get accomplished regularly.
Ramirez (25-Zero, 17 KOs), 26, of Avenal, California, in the end unified two 140-pound belts with an explosive sixth-round knockout on the house turf of Hooker (26-1-Three, 17 KOs), 29, of Dallas. Each fighters have been defending their respective titles for the third time, and so they produced the sort of memorable battle every predicted the battle could be.
Ramirez received credit score for a first-round knockdown from referee Mark Nelson that ought to by no means have been referred to as when Hooker went down as a result of Ramirez stepped on his foot. Fortunately, that didn’t impression the results of an amazing battle — one Ramirez led 49-45 and 48-46 on two scorecards with the third studying 47-47 going into the sixth spherical, when Ramirez landed a clear left hook that rocked him and despatched Hooker into the ropes. Ramirez unleashed 9 extra unanswered punches till Nelson stopped it at 1 minute, 48 seconds.
Jose Ramirez stepped up in a significant manner by defeating Maurice Hooker of their junior welterweight title unification battle. AP Picture/Brandon Wade
Each fighters elevated themselves with the best way they carried themselves earlier than, throughout and after the battle.
“I assumed each of them have been absolute consummate professionals out and in of the ring,” Hearn mentioned.
To Hooker’s credit score, he didn’t moan in regards to the knockdown that should not have been referred to as. He admitted he was upset by it however did not make a giant deal of it. He did not complain in regards to the stoppage, as a substitute saying he “misplaced focus.”
2 Associated
“I went out like a real champion,” mentioned Hooker, with two of his younger kids sitting on his lap on the post-fight information convention. “I’ve no excuse. I misplaced. It wasn’t my evening. [Ramirez is] a champion for a purpose and I do know that.”
Ramirez was rightly overjoyed along with his win..
“I am nonetheless in shock a little bit bit. I did not go after a vacant title. I went after a man who was a world champion, who’s a humble champion. I really feel very pleased with myself,” Ramirez mentioned.
He mentioned no one ought to be down on Hooker simply because he misplaced.
“One battle would not outline somebody,” Ramirez mentioned. “This battle would not outline Maurice Hooker. I assure he’ll come again stronger. Maurice Hooker is a good man.”
Ramirez desires to again earlier than the top of the 12 months, seemingly in a compulsory protection earlier than going after the undisputed title in opposition to the winner of the Regis Prograis-Josh Taylor unification battle. Prograis and Taylor meet in October within the ultimate of the World Boxing Tremendous Sequence.
“I plan to remain a humble champion and proceed going after the most effective. I wish to battle the most effective and I am not afraid to take a loss on my file,” mentioned Ramirez, who plans to public sale off his fight-night wardrobe and donate the proceeds to the household of fallen Prime Rank stablemate Maxim Dadashev.
1:02
Gervonta Davis ranges Ricardo Nunez with a left hook, then finishes with a flurry within the second spherical.
Junior light-weight unification?
Junior light-weight world titleholders Gervonta “Tank” Davis and Tevin Farmer, who’ve referred to as one another out, each gained in lopsided vogue on Saturday evening. After their victories, they every stepped up their calls to face one another in what could be a really attention-grabbing a unification battle. A bout between the 2 that might current a significant distinction in kinds — Davis being the explosive offensive juggernaut, and Farmer the defensive wizard — to not point out a pleasant regional rivalry, on condition that Davis is from Baltimore and Farmer is from Philadelphia.
For his second protection, two-time 130-pound titlist Davis (22-Zero, 21 KOs), who at 24 is the youngest present American to carry a world title, drew an introduced sellout crowd of 14,686 to the Royal Farms Area in Baltimore as he destroyed overmatched obligatory challenger Ricardo Nunez in two rounds.
It was the primary world title bout held in Baltimore in 49 years, since Corridor of Fame gentle heavyweight champion Bob Foster stopped Mark Tessman within the 10th spherical in June 1970 in the identical constructing, previously referred to as the Baltimore Civic Heart. Davis was additionally the primary Baltimore native to have a hometown title protection in 79 years, since Harry Jeffra defended the featherweight title by 15-round unanimous choice over Spider Armstrong at previous Carlin’s Park in 1940.
With promoter Floyd Mayweather watching carefully at ringside, Davis regarded improbable. He simply gained the primary spherical after which pummeled Nunez (21-Three, 19 KOs), 25, of Panama, within the second, badly rocking him with a left hook after which unloading quite a few punches on him, together with one other head-snapping left hook alongside the ropes, earlier than referee Harvey Dock stepped in at 1 minute, 33 seconds.
Shortly after Davis disposed of Nunez, Farmer (30-Four-1, 6 KOs), 28, accomplished his one-sided obligatory protection in opposition to Guillaume Frenois (46-2-1, 12 KOs), 35, of France. Though Farmer misplaced some extent for a low blow within the 10th spherical, he gained simply — 119-108, 116-111 and 116-111 — to retain his title for the fourth time within the co-feature of the Hooker-Ramirez card.
The promoters for Davis and Farmer have mentioned making the battle, however they’re on totally different broadcast platforms and that has made issues troublesome. But when it is a battle each fighters need, similar to Hooker-Ramirez, it may be accomplished.
“Tevin Farmer fought tonight. I need Tevin,” Davis mentioned instantly after his bout, hoping to regain the belt beforehand stripped from him for failing to make weight. “That is a battle that may be made. Let’s get it on later this 12 months.”
“Proper now we wish Tevin Farmer,” Mayweather concurred.
Farmer has been calling for Davis since earlier than he gained a title and he mentioned it once more after successful. “I desire a unification [fight]. If I can not get that I need Joseph Diaz. I wish to battle the most effective, however it’s laborious to get these guys within the ring with me.”
The subsequent step: Davis and Farmer will each seemingly battle as soon as extra this 12 months, however do not maintain your breath so far as the unification bout being subsequent. Davis may wind up going through Yuriorkis Gamboa, who gained on his undercard, and Farmer may wind up going through Diaz in a a lot simpler battle to make, since they each battle on DAZN and have additionally referred to as one another out.
Fights you might need missed
Zero:52
Yuriorkis Gamboa sends Rocky Martinez to the canvas with a proper hand in opposition to the ropes, ending their battle in Spherical 2.
Saturday at Baltimore
Light-weight Yuriorkis Gamboa (30-2, 18 KOs) TKO2 Roman “Rocky” Martinez (30-Four-Three, 18 KOs).
Within the Showtime-televised co-feature, Gamboa, 37, the Miami-based 2004 Cuban Olympic gold medalist and former two-division world titlist, regarded the most effective he has in years because of excellent matchmaking in opposition to the much more pale three-time junior light-weight titlist Martinez, 36, of Puerto Rico, who was preventing for under the second time since mid-2016.
This battle was all Gamboa, who regarded quick, robust and motivated. He dropped Martinez with a left hook early within the second spherical after which related with a left hand, adopted by a proper to the chin that dropped a harm Martinez to his rear finish. Martinez tried to rise up however was counted by referee Invoice Clancy at 2 minutes. Whereas Martinez might be headed for retirement, it was a giant win for Gamboa, who may get the battle he desires — a shot in opposition to primary occasion winner and junior light-weight world titlist Gervonta Davis.
Light-weight Ladarius Miller (20-1, 6 KOs) W10 Jezreel Corrales (23-Three, 9 KOs), scores: 96-93, 95-94 Miller; 96-93 Corrales.
On the Davis-Nunez undercard, Miller, 25, a southpaw preventing out of Las Vegas, escaped with a win because of the pointless intervention of referee Brent Bovell, whose 10th10th-round level deduction from former junior light-weight world titlist Corrales with 40 seconds remaining was very questionable, regardless of as a result of Whereas as Miller had shoveding Corrales to the mat once they had been grappling on the within. As a substitute, Bovell made a completely ridiculous name within the ultimate spherical of a detailed, aggressive battle and impacted the end result. Had Bovell not taken that time from Corrales, the bout would have been a draw. Corrales, 28, a southpaw from Panama, deserved a greater destiny whereas Miller, who owns a 2017 choice win over reigning junior light-weight titlist Jamel Herring, gained his 11th 11th battle in a row.
Saturday at Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Junior welterweight Alberto Puello (17-Zero, 9 KOs) W12 Jonathan Alonso (18-1, 7 KOs), wins a vacant interim title, scores: 115-113 (3 times).
With Regis Prograis as a result of meet Josh Taylor in a junior welterweight title unification battle on Oct. 5, naturally, the WBA created a pointless interim belt, as typical., and Alonso, 28, of the Dominican Republic, and Puello, additionally from the Dominican however primarily based in Spain, have been deemed worthy of preventing for it — despite the fact that neither had confronted anyone remotely near a official contender.