Junior welterweight world titleholder Maurice Hooker and mandatory challenger Alex Saucedo have a date for their collision: Nov. 16, Top Rank announced on Thursday.
The Top Rank Boxing on ESPN main event was always ticketed to take place at the Chesapeake Energy Arena, home of the NBA’s Oklahoma City Thunder, in Saucedo’s hometown, but the date and the ESPN platform were in flux.
There had been much conversation between Top Rank and ESPN executives about whether the fight would take place on Nov. 16 or Nov. 17 and whether it would air on ESPN or ESPN+. But since Saucedo’s last fight, an action-packed fight of the year contender in which Saucedo knocked out Australian brawler Lenny Zappavigna in the seventh round of a bloody battle, Top Rank hoped to feature him on the main network to build on the excitement of the previous fight.
ESPN agreed and carved out time for a special one-fight presentation of the title fight beginning at midnight ET. The rest of the card will stream live on ESPN+ beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET.
“Alex Saucedo is a tremendous, world-class fighter,” Top Rank chairman Bob Arum said. “Maurice Hooker is a worthy champion, but Alex will have the home crowd on his side in what promises to be an incredible atmosphere. Oklahoma City loves Alex, and the arena is going to be packed to the rafters to watch him make history. This fight, which will be held the night before the Oklahoma Sooners face Kansas at home, will attract thousands to the Chesapeake Energy Arena.”
Hooker (24-0-3, 16 KOs), 29, of Dallas, won the 140-pound title in June when he traveled to Terry Flanagan’s hometown of Manchester, England, and claimed a split decision on June 9. He will be making his first defense when he faces Saucedo.
“On Nov. 16, I’m turning his dream into a nightmare,” Hooker said. “He will find out why I am world champion. I don’t care where I fight. The ring is my home. I’m gonna punch him in the mouth, Mexican style.”
Top Rank won the right to promote the bout at a purse bid, offering $1.625 million to narrowly outbid Hooker co-promoter Matchroom Boxing, which submitted an offer of $1.55 million. Hooker is entitled to 75 percent of the winning offer, a career-high $1,218,750, and Saucedo will receive the remaining 25 percent, a career-high $406,250.
“On behalf of Roc Nation Sports and Matchroom Boxing, our co-promoter with Maurice, I am over-the- top excited about this great matchup between Maurice Hooker and Alex Saucedo,” Roc Nation Sports promoter Dino Duva said. “It has fight of the year written all over it. It’s a top-notch cross-state rivalry and is a very personal grudge match. Saucedo is a very tough kid, but I’m very confident in Maurice. He’s getting better and better with every fight, so I can’t wait to watch ‘Mighty Mo’ bring home the victory again. He will continue his journey to superstardom and prove he’s the best 140-pounder in the world.”
Saucedo (28-0, 18 KOs), 24, has typically been in exciting fights but the win over Zappavigna was over the top and it assured him of the title shot.
“I am very excited for this huge opportunity at home,” Saucedo said. “It doesn’t get better than fighting for the title in front of the home crowd. It’s a blessing. There’s a big rivalry between Texas and Oklahoma, so I know the Chesapeake Energy Arena is going to be packed. I want that title around my waist and to represent Oklahoma City with pride. Only one world champion (lightweight Shawn O’Grady in the early 1980s) has come from my city. I am going to be the second.”