Australian Damien Hooper (right) strikes Umar Salamov of Russia during their light-heavyweight title fight in Brisbane.  Photo Credit:  DAVE HUNT

BOXING: Dalby’s Damien Hooper has called out pound-for-pound world No.1 Andre Ward after scoring a shock win in the light- heavyweight division on the Manny Pacquiao-Jeff Horn undercard on Sunday.

Promoter Bob Arum immediately met with Queensland’s Hooper after his upset victory at Suncorp Stadium and wants him to fight in the United States as early as August.

Hooper defeated WBO and IBF International light- heavyweight champion Umar Salamov 96-94 on all three judges’ cards, taking the Russian’s belts and his top 10 world rankings.

 Australia’s Damien Hooper (right) celebrates being announced the winner of his WBO and IBO International light-heavyweight fight against Russia’s Umar Salamov.  Photo Credit: DAN PELED

It was Salamov’s first defeat of his 20-fight career and Hooper moves to 13-1 and some potentially huge bouts down the road including against arguably the best boxer on the planet.

“Ward is a superstar, everything you strive to be like but when it comes to skills I match him,” Hooper said.

“He’s just smart and he’s been there, he’s got a boxing brain.

“I’ve just got to get there, get the experience, be in the wars in training and sparring and I can match him. I can match anyone.”

Hooper, 25, outworked Salamov with busy bodywork and sharp combinations, stepping up his intensity in the 10th and final round to rubber stamp his victory.

It was a remarkable moment for a man who was in jail a little over 12 months ago.

“The first thing I could think of was my son, he is the reason I wanted to do so well,” Hooper said.

“All the hard work, I think about him and his future and that’s just motivated me to be a better man and made me more mature.”

When the WBO and IBF ratings come out early next week, Hooper is expected to be ranked in the top 10 in both and possibly as high as No.5.

That will put him in the mix to fight the biggest names in the division including Ward, Sergey Kovalev and Adonis Stevenson.

www.chinchillanews.com.au/news/hooper-sets-sights-on-world-no1/3195938/

 

Date:  Saturday, May 6, 2017

WBO International Lt. Heavyweight Title Bout

Location: Vodafone Events Centre,  Manukau City, New Zealand

Promoter:    Duco Events / David Higgins and Top Rank / Bob Arum

Supervisor:   Danny Leigh

Referee:  Danrex Tapdasan

Judges:  Ian Scott, Darcy Williams, Arnaru Harriman

Results:    The Vacant WBO International Lt. Heavyweight Title was won by Umar Salamov against Emil Markic by KO’ed on 4th. round.

TV:  United Kingdom SKY, New Zealand Sky Arena, Australia FOX

alexander-brand-andre-ward_3759568 

Andre Ward (right) hits Alexander Brand with a clubbing right

Undefeated Andre Ward used a steady left hook to outpoint Alexander Brand to take the WBO International light heavyweight championship in Oakland, California, on Saturday night.

Ward (30-0) was never seriously threatened by Brand (25-2), the 39-year-old Colombian who lost for the first time since 2012.

Ward stunned Brand early and opened a small cut over his right eye while winning every round in a dominant performance.

All three judges had the fight 120-112 for Ward.

Ward is in position for a long-anticipated bout with unified light heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev. That fight has already been pencilled in for November 19 in Las Vegas.

That would be Ward’s third fight in eight months, overtime for a boxer who fought only three times from 2012 to 2015.

www.skysports.com/boxing/news/12183/10526523/andre-ward-outpoints-alexander-brand-in-california-stroll

robin__3774(Photo: SES) –

“Super Fight Night” on July 26, 2014 in Dessau

Robin Krasniqi meets Oleksandr Cherviak – the attack on the world title opportunities with the WBO and WBA.

SES-half-heavyweight Robin Krasniqi (41-3-0 (16)), in addition to the defense of his WBO International title in the half-heavyweight also the vacant WBO Continental title in his sights. After his crushing knockout win against Emmanuel Danso in March in Potsdam Krasniqi has reported impressive back in the boxing scene. Against the Ukrainian Oleksandr Cherviak (14-3-1 (4)), which is performed at the WBA to position 5 and at the WBO as number 15, the Munich Krasniqi can now make the jump right at the front in two world rankings. As the No. 3 of the WBO world rankings and the fourth in the WBA rankings Robin Krasniqi has an ideal position to be restored promptly to develop a world title chance at a win.

“The World Cup project!”

The fifth WBO title fight is now fixed:

Moritz steel from the “Team Germany” is fighting for his first Belt: WBO Youth Inter-Conti-title fight against the Spaniard Guram Natsulishvili
The Referee:

WBO Inter-Continental Super Middleweight Championship
Robert Stieglitz vs.. Sergey Khomitsky

The other title fights:

WBO International Championship Lightheavyweight
WBA Continental Cup Lightheavyweight
Robin Krasniqi vs. Oleksandr Cherviak

WBO world championship in junior middleweight
Christina Hammer vs. Anne Sophie Mathis

WBO Inter-Continental Championship in Lightheavyweight
Dominic Boesel vs. Daniel Regi

SAT.1 is transferred fight night live from 22.15 clock in a length of nearly four hours from Dessau

+ + + SES boxing event on Saturday, July 26, 2014, Anhalt Arena in Dessau + + +

http://www.sesboxing.de/?lang=en&site=news&index=20140722153521_Newsflash&title=The%20fifth%20title%20fight%20is%20fix