On March 20, 2021, Vergil Ortiz Jr. defeated Maurice Hooker by TKO in the 7th round in a 12-round welterweight bout for the vacant WBO International title at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas, USA. In an action-packed all-Texas showdown, Ortiz applied relentless pressure, scored a knockdown in the sixth round, and overwhelmed Hooker with sustained combinations before the referee stopped the fight 36 seconds into the seventh round.