Maurice Hooker and Regis Prograis have their backs against the wall!
When a fighter loses in the ring, as it is in life, the setback generally presents an opportunity for refection and potential growth. This was the scenario that former WBO world super lightweight champion Maurice “Mighty Mo” Hooker (27-1-3, 18 KO’s) was faced with following his violent sixth round loss to WBC and WBO world super lightweight champion Joes Ramirez (25-0, 17 KO’s).
Rather than drown in a river of pity tears Mighty Mo looked at his situation and schemed heavily on what alterations could be made.
TIME FOR A CHANGE
It didn’t take long for Hooker to choose his new path. Swapping coaches after a defeat is common in the boxing game, but Hooker went one step further than that. When he was done plotting, the native Texan thought it would be a great idea to revamp his entire team.
Yet, as he revealed in an exclusive interview with SecondsOut, Mighty Mo didn’t get just any rag tag crew off the corner. He sought out the same team that has largely crafted pound-for-pound and WBO world welterweight champion Terence “Bud” Crawford (36-0, 27 KO’s) into the machine that he is.
“I’m with Bomack, Saul and Red, they are the three trainers that train [Terence] Crawford. They trained Stephen Nelson, Jamel Herring, they train a lot of fighters, up and coming fighters too.
“Just learning from them, being around them, being around other champions, the motivation, us pushing each other, all of the above, it’s just a plus just to be around them guys.”
TITLE
Since the loss, and team change, Hooker has only appeared in the ring on one occasion versus Uriel Perez. When in with Perez, Mighty Mo proved to be a wrecking machine and stopped the Mexican in one devastating round.
Up next, he is radically stepping up his competition by trying his luck with former WBA and WBC diamond world super lightweight champion Regis “Rougarou” Prograis (24-1, 20 KO’s). The two will meet in something of must win bout on April 17.
The prizefight is a ‘must win’ bout because Prograis is coming in straight off his first professional loss to Josh “The Tartan Tornado” Taylor (16-0, 12 KO’s). Across the ring, Hooker willing be coming in one fight removed from the loss to the aforementioned Jose Ramirez.
Heading into the April 17 dust-up, Mighty Mo is painfully aware of the fact that he cannot afford to have another hiccup in the ring.
“Everything is on the line! I just know it’s a fight. This fight right here it’s a big fight and if I lose I am going to go down in the rankings.
“But if I win I am going to skyrocket! So I am going to come for everything, all or nothing you know? I’m just ready, I am pumped about it.
“He is one of the best guys at 140 and I am here to show the world that I am one of the best at 140, and I am better than him.”
By: Bakari Simpson
