Mikkel LesPierre: record, next fight and profile →
VERONA, New York – Maurice Hooker just couldn’t do it. The Dallas native struggled all week to make weight for his WBO junior welterweight title defense Saturday night at Turning Stone Resort & Casino. When a naked Hooker stepped on the scale Friday, he weighed 140½ pounds, half a pound over their division’s limit.
Undefeated WBO No. 1 contender Jack Catterall will attend Maurice Hooker’s world title defence against Mikkel LesPierre in Verona, NY on Saturday night. ‘El Gato’ (23-0-KO12) is in line to face the winner of the bout having held the WBO Inter-Continental super-lightweight title for the last four years and is keen to watch reigning champion Hooker up close.
Maurice Hooker, Mikkel LesPierre Final Press Conference Photos Gallery - The media gathered on Wednesday afternoon at the Dream Hotel days before undefeated WBA World Light Heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol makes his fifth title defense against Joe Smith Jr. at Turning Stone Resort and Casino on March 9. WBO Super Lightweight titlist Maurice Hooker will also be defending his belt against undefeated challenger Mikkel LesPierre, and Callum Johnson will be taking on Sean Monaghan. In a press conference the fighters discussed their preparations and predications before the fight, which will be broadcasted live on DAZN. (photos by Ed Mulholland).
Maurice Hooker says he’ll bring the heat early to Mikkel LesPierre and send a big statement to the rest of the division when he defends his WBO World Super-Lightweight title for the second time at the Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York on Saturday March 9, live on DAZN in the US and on Sky Sports in the UK.
Tickets for the World title double-header starring Dmitry Bivol and Maurice Hooker defending their belts at Turning Stone Resort Casino on Saturday March 9 live on DAZN in the US and Sky Sports in the UK are on sale NOW
New York promoter Lou DiBella was present at Matchroom Boxing’s show at Madison Square Garden’s Hulu Theatre, which saw Demetrius Andrade remain WBO world middleweight champion, as he successfully overcome the challenge of Russian Artur Akavov via a twelfth round stoppage victory.
Maurice Hooker, Mikkel LesPierre Press Conference Photos Gallery - Days after signing a promotional deal with Matchroom Boxing USA, undefeated WBA World Light Heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol will make his fifth title defense against Joe Smith Jr. on March 9 at Turning Stone Resort and Casino in Verona, New York. This card will also feature WBO Super Lightweight titlist Maurice Hooker defending his belt against undefeated challenger Mikkel LesPierre. The fighters gathered at Madison Square Garden this afternoon to discuss the upcoming stacked card, which will be streamed live exclusively on DAZN. (photos by Ed Mulholland).
Maurice Hooker was invited by promoter Eddie Hearn to attend Friday’s DAZN show at Hulu Theatre in New York City, in part to scout a pair of super lightweight fights for potential future opponents. Long before the opening bell, the unbeaten super lightweight titlist already has his next challenger lined up.
Mikkel "Slikk Mikk" LesPierre (20-0-1, 9 KOs) and unbeaten junior lightweight prospect Jude "King Zar" Franklin (9-0, 8 KOs). Both LesPierre and Franklin are Brooklynites who train out of Gleason's Gym.
Returning to action in a scheduled 10-round battle is former WBC Lightweight World Champion "Dynamite" Dejan Zlaticanin (23-1, 16 KOs), of Podgorica, Montenegro. Making his New York City debut, the hard-hitting southpaw turned heads with a first-round knockout of Hevinson Herrera on December 14, 2017.