By Bob Caico at ringside
Photos: Boxing Bob Newman

WBO jr welterweight champion Maurice “Mighty Mo” Hooker (26-0-3 17 KOs) retained his belt with a unanimous 12-round decision over previously unbeaten Mikkel “Slikk Mikk” LesPierre (21-1-1, 10 KOs) on Saturday night at the Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York.

Hooker put on a clinic over the first six rounds against the southpaw from Brooklyn by way of Trinidad and Tobago. Using his 4 ½ reach advantage the champion controlled the early going with his jab then eventually throwing a double right hand to follow up. Hooker had LesPierre in serious trouble throughout the fifth round and the bell saved him after a tremendous right hand. Hooker slowed down in the seventh and eighth rounds but came out strong in the ninth. A left hook to the body dropped LesPierre to a knee and he barely made it up at the count of nine. Hooker could not follow up and LesPierre finished the round strong.

In the championship rounds, Hooker did what he needed to do to secure the win. Scores were 120-107, 119-108 and 118-109.

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