Blair Cobbs Rebounds with Weird Win Over Maurice Hooker
Oddly enough, despite this being a “must-win” fight for both fighters, welterweight “Mighty Mo” Maurice Hooker (27-3-3 18 KO’s) got off on the wrong foot before his match with Blair “The Flair” Cobbs (16-1-1 10 KO’s) even started. This is due to Hooker failing to make weight by coming in three full pounds over the limit.
RELATED: Maurice Hooker On Missing Weight: “Shit Happens!”
Inability to make weight was a large part of why the one-time WBO junior welterweight champion made his exodus from the super lightweight division. His poor conditioning also cost him a high-profile dust-up with former world champion Regis Prograis.
Aside from his substandard nutrition, Hooker’s reputation was further bogged down due to losing his two biggest fights versus former unified junior welterweight champ Jose Carlos Ramirez and Vergil Ortiz Jr. He was stopped on both occasions. With this bleak background Mighty Mo entered the bout teetering on the edge of becoming completely irrelevant in the sport.
The same could be said about Cobbs who also slid through the ropes coming directly off a knockout loss to Alexis Rocha. With the setback, The Flair made quite a few alterations. Most notably, he split with famed chief second Freddy Roach due to lack of one-to-one time. Feeling that he was not getting enough attention the two amiably continued down separate paths.
STARTED WITH A ROAR!!
After patiently stalking and controlling Cobbs with lanky reach and nagging jab, Hooker was dropped with an overhand right in the opening round. For the rest of the period, The Flair was the clear ring general. Then, moments after getting off the stool, Hooker was back on the deck at the top of the second. Despite the dreary opening though, Mighty Mo made it to the final ten seconds before a straight left pumped into his bottom jaw collapsed him to the seat of his pants for the third time.
Each had their moments in the third. As a result of his severe height and reach disparity, Cobbs was clearly having problems getting in striking range consistently. Instead, he perched on the perimeter changing levels constantly.
This lead to Hooker having a much better fourth round, so much so that he was finally performing confidently like he was before the trio of knockdowns. The first two-thirds of the fifth was an intense staring contest, but down the final sixty seconds Cobbs had buzzed Hooker again. The Flair’s right eye was swelling notably by this point.
ENDED WITH A WHIMPER
To make matters worse, in the first minute of the sixth an accidental head-butt opened a cut on Cobbs’ left eye. Mighty Mo stalked and dictated the logistics for the remainder of the period, but it was Cobbs who still landed the more quality shots.
Once again at the top of the eighth and accidental head-butt halted the action. On both occasions referee Laurence Cole consulted the ring doctor and twice was given the green light. The rest of the eighth was painful to watch. Cobbs’ shabby footwork would not allow him to attack competently but only trot around. Meanwhile, Hooker was clueless as to how to cut off the ring and pleaded for The Flair to stop moving. This lasted until the final bell rang to the dismay of the fans as the boes echoed throughout the arena.
Nevertheless, when the cards were read, Cobbs was awarded the unanimous decision to the tune of 97-90, 96-91. If given his way Cobbs would certainly love to face the highly touted contender Vergil Ortiz Jr, who fought in the cards main event.
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By: Bakari Simpson
