By Ian S Palmer
The vacant WBO International Welterweight Title is on the line this Saturday, March 20 when unbeaten prospect Vergil Ortiz Jr will be taking on former WBO Super Lightweight champ Maurice Hooker. The 12-round bout in Fort Worth, Texas will be held just down the road from both of the boxer’s hometowns of Dallas. It can bee seen live in most nations on DAZN. Hooker was last in the ring in December when he stopped Uriel Perez in the first round. Ortiz last fought in July when he stopped Samuel Vargas in the seventh round.
Ortiz is one of the hottest prospects in boxing right now as the 22-year-old owns a perfect record of 16-0 with 16 Ko’s. His 100 per cent knockout record means he’s a feared puncher with excellent power. He turned pro in 2016 and has boxed 45 rounds since. Before that he enjoyed a fine amateur career by winning National Silver Gloves Titles from 2012 to 2014. He also won a National Under-17 Crown in 2013 and placed second a year later. In addition, he placed second at the 2016 National Golden Gloves Championships.
Since turning pro Ortiz has captured the vacant NABF Junior Super Lightweight Title and something called the World Boxing Association Gold World Welter Title. His biggest wins have been against Vargas, Brad Solomon, Antonio Orozco and Mauricio Herrera. He was also the first man to stop Herrera. Ortiz has also beaten the likes of Jesus Alvarez Rodriguez, Juan Carlos Salgado, Roberto Ortiz and Jesus A Valdez Barrayan. Ortiz, who trains with Robert Garcia, stands 5-feet-10-inches tall with a 70-inch reach.
The 31-year-old Hooker won the WBO Title in June, 2018 when he beat former champion Terry Flanagan by a 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. Hooker climbs into the ring with a record of 27-1-3 with 18 Kos.
He’s not known as a big hitter, but has a current knockout ratio of 58.1 per cent and managed to stop Saucedo in devastating fashion after being dropped himself earlier in the fight. Hooker’s boxed 141 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 had gone the distance five of six fights before running into Ramirez.
Hooker stands 5-feet-11-inches tall and has a reach of 80 inches which puts him at an inch taller than Ortiz while owning a huge 10-inch reach advantage. 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 is now facing somebody with a 100 per cent knockout ratio so it’s not going to be easy for him.
Prediction…
This will be a good test for Ortiz as Hooker is a former world champ and is a solid pro. It’s a step up in class for the youngster and he’s going to have to find his way inside due to the 10-inch reach disadvantage. He’ll also need to show he can take a punch. Ortiz possesses plenty of power and speed and of course will want to post another KO to his record. I think he’ll pass the test overall but might have to go the several rounds to do it.
