Maurice Hooker-Alex Saucedo - Friday night

Saucedo is the favourite (1/2) but Hooker (6/4) has the better form on paper. Saucedo is great to watch but his defence has always been so leaky it's only a matter of time before he comes unstuck, his face last time made the elephant man look pretty.

I think it's most likely a PTS fight, however, Saucedo is hard-as-nails, relentless and especially strong downstairs with his left hand, but his own vulnerabilities boost the chances of himself being stopped, especially against a slickster.

Hooker KO/TKO - 7/1
Either win by KO/TKO - 5/2

Hooker didn't deal well with the pressure when they sparred and, while Hooker was able to regularly land his right hand, Saucedo got the better of it, pretty clearly. That was some years back, though, and Saucedo was more experienced despite being several years younger.

I don't think that either has improved, in the sense of eliminating flaws from their games or developing new skills. In my estimation, they both have had access to better sparring so they've gotten better at doing what they do in the way they do it. Certainly they have both gained by the power of association, Saucedo with GGG and Hooker with Crawford.

Saucedo is going to be bringing it in his hometown and I figure he is going to stop Hooker and it wouldn't surprise me if it was within 5-6 rounds. But it also wouldn't surprise me if Hooker handles him easy and wins in 9-10, because that is in Saucedo's future. I just don't expect it to be Hooker that does it.

For whatever reason this one is buried tonight with a single bout card slated to start at 11pm ??? with an NBA game proceeding it. If it starts on time I'll be surprised. Doesn't Hearn promote Hooker?

Should be a fun fight though and interested to see which way Hooker goes as a 'champion'. Saucedos last fight was a bloodbath with both fighters rocked and he really did great with self promotion and a massive fight hungry massive fan turn out in of all places Oklahoma City. Great energy!

I just saw it scheduled for 1 am local time. Needless to say I won't be watching it. :-\

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Originally Posted by Spicoli

For whatever reason this one is buried tonight with a single bout card slated to start at 11pm ??? with an NBA game proceeding it. If it starts on time I'll be surprised. Doesn't Hearn promote Hooker?

Should be a fun fight though and interested to see which way Hooker goes as a 'champion'. Saucedos last fight was a bloodbath with both fighters rocked and he really did great with self promotion and a massive fight hungry massive fan turn out in of all places Oklahoma City. Great energy!

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This is an Arum show (TopRank), he won the purse bids from Hearn (Matchroom), hence Saucedo gets hometown advantage.

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Originally Posted by greynotsoold

Hooker didn't deal well with the pressure when they sparred and, while Hooker was able to regularly land his right hand, Saucedo got the better of it, pretty clearly. That was some years back, though, and Saucedo was more experienced despite being several years younger.

I don't think that either has improved, in the sense of eliminating flaws from their games or developing new skills. In my estimation, they both have had access to better sparring so they've gotten better at doing what they do in the way they do it. Certainly they have both gained by the power of association, Saucedo with GGG and Hooker with Crawford.

Saucedo is going to be bringing it in his hometown and I figure he is going to stop Hooker and it wouldn't surprise me if it was within 5-6 rounds. But it also wouldn't surprise me if Hooker handles him easy and wins in 9-10, because that is in Saucedo's future. I just don't expect it to be Hooker that does it.

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Good luck mate (I assume you're not on bad terms with him :D)

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Originally Posted by Fenster

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Spicoli

For whatever reason this one is buried tonight with a single bout card slated to start at 11pm ??? with an NBA game proceeding it. If it starts on time I'll be surprised. Doesn't Hearn promote Hooker?

Should be a fun fight though and interested to see which way Hooker goes as a 'champion'. Saucedos last fight was a bloodbath with both fighters rocked and he really did great with self promotion and a massive fight hungry massive fan turn out in of all places Oklahoma City. Great energy!

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This is an Arum show (TopRank), he won the purse bids from Hearn (Matchroom), hence Saucedo gets hometown advantage.

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Thanks bud wasn't sure, Arum is mucking it up. Good news is Bucks lead the Bulls 108-94 with 5 min to go. Fight should start on time :-X.

Very impressive looking turn out for Oklahoma fight fans. Saucedo really turning into hooks in first and Hooker reacts like he felt them.

Great first round

Hooker electric right hand on target, Saucedo gets inside to land bombs

Oh that was a quality KD by Saucedo! Hooker pouring it on to finish 2nd. Shit son, back and forth action.

Hooker come back after knockdown! Whoa!

Great fight

Hooker slows it down in third, dominates with left hand/jab/range

Hooker really stringing shots together 4th. Moving with a purpose to sit down and get off. Saucedo starting to follow along

Hooker riding ropes end of 5th with Saucedo on his chest. Saucedo grabbed that one! Annnnd Hooker blasts him last 10 seconds ;D. That kind of scrap

Hooker doing rope-a-dope through the 5th, gets battered, then explodes like Bolt :D

Three times Hooker has chinned him after the bell. Once is an accident, three times is bullshit.

Saucedo has a great chin

Something about Spence and Crawford sitting across a ring from each other makes a guy want to chop firewood...ohjh Saucedo really hurt! Battered by Hooker mid 7th! He opened up brutally there

Saucedo's head finally cracks after eating a million bombs. Hooker's superior length/speed the difference in the end, looked like a two handed sniper

Great little punchup.

Good fight. I thought that Saucedo was going to do good body work after the first round, but he abandoned it. That was a mistake. Hooker had a great gameplan though and it helped him win the fight.

It’s crazy that even though this weight is involved in a tournament right now that there are still really good fights to be made outside of it. Hooker vs Ramirez is a legit fight.

Kavaliauskas looked good, although he hit Arriaza when he was down. Arriaza should have been given time to recover. He ain't ready for Crawford tho.

A nice win for Hooker. Had to work for it. I had him ahead 57-56 going into the 7th. Saucedo almost pulled it off. His chin broke down.

I was really wanting Saucedo to win, partially because I like Alex, his parents, and his little brother. Mostly because my friend that managed him would be really happy to see it, if, in his condition, he still cares. But him losing was not a surprise, not to anyone that has been around him for any length of time. We all knew that this was coming.

Back in 2010, Derrick James (trainer of Errol Spence) put together a list of things that Saucedo needed to work on. All along Top Rank has been raising concerns about his defense, his footwork, and him throwing his right hand like a baseball. Alex never was interested in getting better, his old trainer went along with him, and he ended up with Sanchez, who is possibly the worst, most overrated trainer in history. His manager didn't want Sanchez but it was forced on him by two guys that make movies and sit ringside and thus believe they are boxing guys.

So Saucedo has not improved at all in all this time. He now has access to good sparring, so he is sharp at doing what he does in the way he does it, but that is not improvement. Now he is surrounded by guys that think that eating every punch is just how he fights. They don't have the mindset to understand that this can and should be addressed. They think that because they hired Abel Sanchez that it is as good as it can. That thinking is going to get Alex another handful of "exciting" wins where he gets hit way too much, and at least one more epic ass kicking.