Why Maurice Hooker cannot wait to combat at house

Junior welterweight world titleholder Maurice Hooker recites a latest statistic: There have been 20-plus murders within the month of Might in Oak Cliff, Texas, the Dallas neighborhood the place he grew up.

Hooker was 12 when his household’s condominium was robbed at gunpoint. He discovered his share of bother throughout a turbulent youth. In keeping with co-promoter Dino Duva and supervisor Arnie Verbeek, Hooker had 33 excellent arrest warrants by the point he was 21. His mom and brother fought drug habit. His father was out and in of his life.

“Mighty Mo” says he confronted the challenges of medication and violence in his neighborhood, however he was capable of finding his means out of the struggles of his childhood by way of boxing.

Hooker survived and in the end thrived in June 2018 to win the WBO title by break up determination over then-unbeaten Terry Flanagan in Flanagan’s hometown of Manchester, England. Two defenses adopted — an thrilling seventh-round knockout of obligatory challenger Alex Saucedo in November in Saucedo’s hometown of Oklahoma Metropolis and a near-shutout determination of Mikkel LesPierre on March 9 in Verona, New York.

Now Hooker is about for the largest combat of his profession. He’ll make his first seven-figure payday for a hometown title unification bout with WBC champion Jose Ramirez on Saturday (DAZN, 9 p.m. ET) on the Faculty Park Heart on the campus of the College of Texas at Arlington.

“I moved out [of Oak Cliff], however I nonetheless received household there. I am there like each different day after I’m not coaching for a combat,” Hooker mentioned. “My aim is to get them out of there, my entire household. So this combat is essential to me, simply not for me, however my household. If I can get everyone out of there I will be comfortable.”

The 29-year-old Hooker (26-Zero-Three, 17 KOs) shall be properly on his means if he can defeat Ramirez (24-Zero, 16 KOs), 26, of Avenal, California. Each fighters shall be making their third title protection in a bout that is considered by most as a toss-up between two unbeaten titleholders of their prime. It is a main combat at an area about 20 miles from the neighborhood Hooker virtually did not make it out of.

Maurice Hooker defeated Alex Saucedo final November through seventh-round TKO. Photograph by Mikey Williams/High Rank

Hooker mentioned he can thank boxing and his novice coach, Sultan Ali, for his exodus from Oak Cliff. It was Ali who put him on the best path after his stepfather launched Hooker to the game as a youngster.

“I used to be within the streets, however I had a coach, Sultan Ali, my novice coach, and he stayed on me,” Hooker mentioned. “He got here and picked me up each day for the fitness center. I might be within the again as much as no good, and he’d be in entrance of the home blowing the horn.

“I used to be as much as no good and [the other kids] can be like, ‘You bought to go. You bought somebody’s consideration round right here.’ I needed to stroll out to the truck like, I assume I am going to go to the fitness center. He simply stayed on me whereas among the others had been shootin’ cube or doing one thing incorrect. However he was choosing me up, blowin’ the horn, blowin’ up my cellphone. An previous man who actually had nothing to do. He was retired from work. Boxing was his life, so he was there for me.”

Hooker gained a Dallas Golden Gloves title and owned a 97-7 novice report earlier than Ali launched him to supervisor Verbeek and coach Vince Parra, who’ve been with him because the begin of his professional profession in 2011. Verbeek helped Hooker work with authorities to clear up the authorized points and hold him out of jail.

“Arnie treats Maurice like a son,” mentioned Roc Nation’s Duva, who co-promotes Hooker with Matchroom Boxing’s Eddie Hearn. “He took him into his fitness center and began getting him fights.”

Parra was a major consider turning Hooker’s uncooked expertise into championship materials.

“After I received him, he was a younger prospect,” Parra mentioned. “I informed a reporter he was like a bolt of lightning, and I simply knew that if we harnessed it and put it in the best means that he might do one thing particular.”

Hooker, Verbeek and Parra have a decent bond, however what Ali did for him is at all times behind Hooker’s thoughts. He is aware of it is what saved him. That is simply one of many causes Hooker needed to defend his title at house.

“I need to present all the children that goals do come true,” mentioned Hooker, who used among the cash he constituted of the Saucedo combat to purchase a home and transfer to the Dallas suburb of Forney. “I would like the children to return see me combat. And in the event that they see me combat, it would inspire them to get out of there, to work onerous, practice tougher. I would like children to be like, ‘Maurice, he is a world champion. He began from nothing. Have a look at him now.'”

Hooker made it some extent to offer again to his group. He mentioned he made appearances earlier than the beginning of coaching camp to speak to schoolchildren about their future.

“I at all times inform them, man, simply consider in your self, think about what you do,” Hooker mentioned. “I do not care in the event you’re a bus driver, simply think about what you do. I inform them you at all times need to attempt to enhance your self in life, do not accept much less.

“It is summertime. Children do not don’t have anything to take action they’re simply on the streets, you recognize? They only hearken to music. Some need to be drug sellers, some need to be gangsters. [I tell them to] get a traditional job, practice, work for it.”

Duva, who has been selling Hooker since 2015 when he appeared on the undercard of the Gennady Golovkin-David Lemieux middleweight title unification combat, has been happy with Hooker’s introspection.

“Maurice has actually matured lots from after I first began working with him,” Duva mentioned. “When you consider the place he got here from — it isn’t a novel story, however he got here from such a tough childhood.

“That previous coach — you have to adore it when persons are keen to assist somebody arising in a foul space. You need to respect that and like that. A child like [Hooker] on the time, he actually wanted that steerage.”

Hooker agreed. He is aware of that with out boxing and Ali choosing him up each day to verify he received to the fitness center that his life can be totally different.

“If he wasn’t there, I might nonetheless be again there within the shed doing unhealthy issues,” Hooker mentioned. “And now I am right here. I stayed with it. Like I inform everyone, simply consider in your self — it doesn’t matter what.”

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