It's four days from the Texas / Oklahoma showdown between Dallas, Texas' Maurice "Mighty Mo" Hooker, the WBO Junior Welterweight champion and Alex Saucedo (28-0, 18 KO's), the number one ranked contender from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Today at the Azteca Boxing gym in Oklahoma City on media day, both fighters looked in superb shape for the epic showdown this upcoming Friday at the Chesapeake Energy Arena.
Hooker, who is trained by Vincent Parra, put in a final workout for the media in anticipation of the defense of his WBO Junior Welterweight title against a formidable foe he has known for a long time.
The Oklahoman Saucedo who is trained by Abel Sanchez, the same trainer for Gennady "GGG" Glolovkin also put in his final gym work following his long training camp at Big Bear.
Saucedo earned, to say it lightly, this title shot with the war he had against Lenny Zappavigna back in June at this same Chesapeake Energy Arena in front of his hometown fans.
At the workout today Saucedo is quoted as saying.......
"Maurice Hooker is a champion for a reason. He's a great fighter with a good reach and power in both of his hands. We have a tough fight on our hands, but we will be ready for anything that he brings to the table."
"I'm going to show boxing fans the real me on Nov. 16. He can say what he wants about me getting hit a lot, but I don't have any draws on my record. He says I've been hit a lot, but if you have three draws on your record, that means you're not that hard to hit."
"I am a different fighter than Terry Flanagan, who he won the title from. As always, I'm going to give it my all in the ring. I just want to beat him up and become the new WBO junior welterweight champion of the world." "Hooker's fight with Flanagan. All I have to say is I'm a different fighter than Flanagan. On Friday, he will see the type of fighter I am."
After taking the WBO Junior Welterweight title from Terry Flanigan (33-2, 13 KO's) in England, Hooker isn't wasting time to defend his title against the number one ranked WBO contender Saucedo.
As for his upcoming title defense against Saucedo, Hooker said "This is his first time in a world title fight, so he's nervous. It's his first big fight at home. A championship. I know he's nervous."
"I'll tell you this. Don't blink, because I'm coming." "I'm ready to fight."
Also on hand was Oklahoma's former WBA World lightweight champion Sean O'Grady (81-5, 70 K's).
The undercard, including the welterweight showdown between Egidijus "The Mean Machine" Kavaliauskas and Roberto Arriaza, will be streamed live at 6:30 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
