Maurice Hooker defeats Mikkel LesPierre by unanimous decision
The story going into Maurice Hooker’s second defense of the WBO super lightweight title was the struggle the defending champion had making the 140lb division limit. Initially weighing half a pound over the division limit, he had to work and work hard until making weight at the very last minute.
Despite his issues making weight the day before the fight, Hooker dominated challenger Mikkel LesPierre tonight; winning by unanimous decision (120-107, 119-108, 118-109) to retain his title tonight in Verona, NY.
The defending champion spent the first two rounds establishing the distance. While reserving his energy due to the fact that Hooker struggled mightily to make weight, he made excellent use of his boxing skill.
In rounds three, four and five, Hooker stepped up the pace as he started adding body shots to his attack. Moving LesPierre backward behind the jab and the right hand, Hooker was separating himself and dominating as he was landing hard and accurate shots to the head and body. Towards the end of the fifth, the defending champ stunned LesPierre with a right-hand to the chin.
In the middle rounds Hooker began to box more, fighting behind his jab. As a result the challenger came forward, but couldn’t get home with enough hard shots to really trouble the champion. The only round LesPierre won was the eighth, and that was in large part due to the fact that Hooker seemed to take the round off.
The Closing Rounds
At the beginning of round nine, Hooker went to town on LesPierre’s body with immediate success. By the midway point of the round, LesPierre went down from an accumulation of body shots, finalized by a terrific left-hook to the body. At this point it looked as if LesPierre was down. However, towards the end of the round, the challenger fought back and fought back hard.
During the final three rounds, the action slowed down from both fighters. Hooker fought like someone who not only knew he had the fight in the bag, but like the effect of pushing to make weight had taken a bit of a toll on him. Meanwhile, LesPierre fought like someone who was feeling the pace of the fight, as well the bodywork from Hooker.
The question after the fight is, how long will Hooker continue to campaign at Super-Lightweight? Asked after the fight about his issues making weight, he took full responsibility; saying it was his fault and giving his performance a C-.
He also said he’s willing to fight anyone in the Super-Lightweight division, then proceeded to point out his number one contender Jack Catterall who was sitting ringside.
Hooker said to Catterall:
“Look grasshopper, just wait; you will get your turn!”
By: Michael Wilson
