Check out the TR Knockouts from the Friday, November 16, 2018 Top Rank card on ESPN which featured Maurice Hooker vs. Alex Saucedo in the championship main event.
The fairytale ending wasn’t meant to be. Oklahoma City native Alex Saucedo fell short in his first world title challenge, as Maurice Hooker defended his WBO junior welterweight title against Saucedo via 7th-round TKO In front of 4,102 fans at the Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City.
“Alex is a great fighter. He came to fight, and I came to fight, and I went right at him,” Hooker said. “I knew the first couple of rounds would be tough, but eventually it would be my time to take over.”
Said Saucedo: “He’s a champion for a reason. Now, I am going to rest, enjoy my family, and come back stronger. I gave it my very best in the ring.”
Saucedo (28-1, 18 KOs) landed the first major blow of the night, knocking Hooker down with a right hand in the second round, causing blood to gush from his nose. Hooker responded with a late flurry to end the round. The fight entered a familiar pattern, as Saucedo marched forward and Hooker (25-0-3, 17 KOs) landed flush counter punches.
Eventually, Hooker took over, as cuts over Saucedo’s left eye opened up. Hooker, using precision punching, knocked Saucedo down with a right hand in the seventh. The end came soon after, and Hooker, a native of Dallas, Texas, left Oklahoma with his world title.
