Regis Prograis v Maurice Hooker is Kaput
All across the world, citizens of numerous nations are finding themselves adjusting to the sweeping changes brought on by the coronavirus (COVID-19). Schools are closing, businesses are being forced to indefinitely cease and desist peddling their products, and countless people are being confided to mandated quarantines. Even the rugged and regal sport of boxing could not escape corrosive influence of COVID-19.
MAJOR BOXING CARD BITES THE DUST
Just like the toilet paper isle in your local grocery store all, the televised boxing events for the months of March and April have been ransacked, picked clean and will remain barren. This recent announcement has come with a particularly acidic sting. That is because we have now lost, or at least indefinitely postponed, the surefire slug-fest between Regis “Rougarou” Prograis (24-1, 20 KO’s) and Maurice “Mighty Mo” Hooker (27-1-3, 18 KO’s).
The two former champions and peddlers of pain had agreed to face one another on April 17 at the MGM National Harbor located in Oxon Hill, Maryland. The gut punch knowledge of losing this fight was not the only painful blow from this card.
Fight fans will also have to watch the welterweight bout pitting WBC and WBA world super lightweight champion Jessica “Caskilla” McCaskill (8-2, 3 KO’s) against undisputed welterweight champion Cecilia “First Lady” Braekhus (36-0, 9 KO’s) go up in smoke. Smoldering right alongside them is the would-be bout of Luke Campbell (20-3, 16 KO’s) versus Javier “El Abejon” Fortuna (35-2-1, 24 KO’s).
A BEEF DEFERRED
Back on the subject of Prograis and Hooker, both were looking for their first major scalp since suffering their first professional loss. Prograis suffered a tight majority decision loss to Josh Taylor in the championship round of the super lightweight division of the World Boxing Super Series. Jose Carlos Ramirez violently stopped Hooker in the sixth round of their unification bout.
Wanting no handouts, each fighter was quick to hop back in the deep end of the pool. Aside from seeking the glory of matching themselves tough, the two would have had the chance to redo a bout dating back to their amateur days.
Hooker brags that he took it the Rougarou then and would definitely do so now. This is a notion that Prograis finds laughable. Although good-natured, throughout the fight announcement activities, each pugilist made it plainly clear they had signed up for head removal and expected nothing less.
Now, with COVID-19 mutilating the boxing schedule worse than Godzilla did downtown Tokyo, there is no telling when these fights will happen. And even if they do, we’d still have to hope that no one suffers any injury that could sideline the bout.
THE NEXT SUNRISE
Obviously we don’t want to trip over our bottom lips pouting about these recent cancellations too much. There are people losing their lives behind the introduction of COVID-19 to the global scene. So will simply have to endure these hiccups in our entertainment schedule during this transitional period. Yet, similar to a sudden piercing ice-cream headache, this uncomfortable time simply can’t pass fast enough!
By: Bakari Simpson
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