Vergil Ortiz made a statement about welterweight against Maurice Hooker winning the TKO

Vergil Ortiz Jr. if the future of weightlifting was in doubt, the 22-year-old’s unprofitable outlook made an important statement on Saturday.

Ortiz (17-0, 17 KOs) best shots Maurice Hooker, the 140-pound champion (27-2-3, 18 KOs) had to offer more than seven exciting rounds when Hooker was down in the 6th round with his hand injured in the seventh round At a TKO at Dickies Arena, Fort Worth, Texas.

Hooker, 31, appeared to be injured in the body before taking a voluntary knee and grimacing with his right hand. Referee Laurence Cole knocked out Hooker in 36 seconds of day 7 as Ortiz, his Dallas teammate, passed the biggest test of his young career in a spectacular way.

“I wanted to thank him [Hooker] for giving us this opportunity, “Ortiz said.” I felt like I could be beaten and he didn’t have to take this fight. I feel like I’m a problem at 147 and he didn’t have to take this fight for the first time in 147 but I give him the props.

“I felt like I did pretty well. There’s always room for improvement. There are things I could have done differently. Overall, I think I did well.”

Ortiz overcame a 4-5-inch disadvantage by getting inside Hooker’s jab and straightening his body. According to CompuBox, although he showed tremendous defensive responsibility despite being an attacker, he went outside for Hooker with a difference of 143 to 100.

It was an easy fight for Ortiz, who had a spectacular blow to Hooker that left spectacular swelling and eye scars. Ortiz managed to attract Hooker to the fire department and eventually found the same success as his teammate, junior welterweight champion Jose Ramirez, giving Hooker his only previous loss via TKO at the 2019 slugfest.

“[Hooker] “It was showing me in the beginning that it was sustainable,” Ortiz said. “He could definitely take a punch and it was clear, trying to get around my guard. The intent of the game was to slow him down. He wanted to box but I neutralized him. The head shots didn’t hurt him at all. He could take the blow. That’s when I started investing in the body.”

Hooker, who has been out of action for 15 months, lived through his moments, including hard right-handers to close out the 3rd and 4th rounds, which forced Ortiz to respect the danger that came again.

Ortiz’s youngster and attacker, however, caught up with Hooker in the 6th round when he hit the ground with his right hand. The two fighters fought until the final bell with the tired Hooker happily finishing his turn.

Terence Crawford and Errol Spence Jr. while the welterweight champions were watching from the ring, Ortiz defended his case for the next title. Although he chose not to call anyone specifically, saying he was talking in the ring, Ortiz expressed interest in mingling with the undefeated WBO champion with Crawford when asked about it.

“This win gives me more confidence. I believe more in my head that I’m ready to get the title,” Ortiz said. “I’m very respectful and I won’t call anyone a puppet. I respect everyone who comes into this ring. [But] I would love that opportunity [against Crawford]. If I get a chance on either side, Crawford is probably the world’s 1st pound boxing boxer and definitely two. I’m looking at you Bud, I’m glad you’re doing that. I don’t care if I’m ready or not, I want that fight. “

Hooker, who shares the same coach as Crawford’s Brian “BoMac” in McIntyre, was respected by Ortiz after the fight, but he didn’t think the young fighter was ready to be champion.

“It was a good fight. I’ve been away for a year, but Vergil is a good fighter and I take off my hat,” Hooker said. “I had to overcome the storm in the first three rounds and I started to pick up my pace. But he’s a good fighter.

“[Ortiz] he is young and will come but he is at that level. I’ve been with the best. He’s good, but he’s not ready for Terence Crawford. Actually. He’s just ready. He just needs to take the fights and build himself up. One day he will be world champion. ”