By Ian S Palmer
Former WBO Super Lightweight Champion Maurice Hooker of Dallas, Texas returns to the ring this Saturday, August 6th when he takes on southpaw Blair Cobbs of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The 10-round welterweight bout in Fort Worth, Texas can be seen live in most nations on DAZN. Hooker was last in the ring in March of 2021 when he was stopped in the seventh round by Vergil Ortiz in a shot at the vacant WBO International Welterweight Title. Cobbs last boxed in March when he was stopped in the ninth round by Alexis Rocha.
Hooker, who will turn 33 years old the day after the fight, won the WBO welterweight Title in June, 2018 when he beat former champion Terry Flanagan by split decision. He then defended it against Alex Saucedo by seventh-round TKO and Mikkel LesPierre by unanimous decision. However, he then lost the crown in July, 2019 when he was stopped cold by WBC Champion Jose Ramirez in the seventh round for his first pro loss. Hooker climbs into the ring this weekend with a record of 27-2-3 with 18 Kos.
He’s not known as a big hitter, but Hooker has decent power with a current knockout ratio of 56.3 per cent and managed to stop Saucedo in devastating fashion after being dropped himself earlier in the fight. Hooker’s boxed 148 rounds since turning pro in 2011. Before that, he was a Dallas regional Golden Gloves Champion and had a fine amateur record of 85-7. Since turning pro he’s drawn with Darleys Perez (10 rounds) and Abel Ramos (eight rounds) as well as Tyrone Chatman over four rounds in his pro debut.
Hooker’s best wins have been over Flanagan and Saucedo, but also has victories over the likes of Santos Benavides, Tye Barnett and Cristobal Cruz. He’s also won the WBO NABO Super Lightweight Title as a pro and defended it four times. Although Hooker has decent power and a good chin, he’s been stopped in two of his last three fights had went the distance in five of six fights previous to that.
Hooker stands 5-feet-11-inches tall and has a reach of 80 inches, which is huge for the welterweight division and gives him a seven-inch reach advantage over Cobbs. He’s got fine boxing skills and is somewhat underrated when it comes to both his power and his slick skills. However, he was stopped in his tracks by Ramirez and Ortiz so his punch resistance may not be what it once was.
As for Cobbs, he’s a 32-year-old southpaw with a record of 15-1-1 with 10 Ko’s. He’s boxed 82 rounds since making his pro debut in 2013 following a short amateur career. He stands 5-feet-11-inches tall with a 73-inch reach, so as mentioned, he’s giving up seven inches in reach to Hooker. Cobbs also has pretty good power in his fists with a current knockout ratio of 58.8 per cent.
His lone defeat came in his last outing to Alexis Rocha in March when he was halted in the ninth round and his lone draw was a technical four-round affair against Mario Esparza in 2018 when Esparza was cut by an accidental headbutt. Cobbs’ biggest wins have been against the likes of Ferdinand Kerobyan for the vacant NABF Junior Welterweight Title in 2019.
He then got up from the canvas in the first round to stop Carlos Ortiz Cervantes after six rounds in 2019 for the vacant NABF Welterweight Belt. Cobbs has also beaten Brad Solomon and Samuel Kotey Neequaye, Estevan Villalobos and Robert Redmond Jr.
Prediction…
Both Hooker and Cobbs were stopped in their last fights and are looking to rebound. Hooker is a former world champ and is a solid pro but hasn’t fought in 16 months so may have some ring rust. Both men have enough power to cause some damage but Cobbs will need to work his way inside due to his seven-inch reach disadvantage. It’s a step up in class for him and he may want to jump on Hooker early due to his opponent’s inactivity. As long as Hooker isn’t shot from being stopped in two of his last three fights he should have the necessary skills to take care of Cobbs.
