Vergil Ortiz vs. Maurice Hooker kick-off press conference quotes

By Boxing News - 02/05/2021 - Comments

By Matt Lieberman: Vergil Ortiz Jr and his opponent “Mighty Mo” Hooker (27-1-3, 19 KOs) spoke earlier on Friday at their kick-off press conference for their fight on March 20th on DAZN.

The two welterweight knockout artists are looking forward to going to war in their upcoming fight next month.

Ortiz’s promoter Oscar De La Hoya of Golden Boy Promotions believes he’s ready to not only beat Hooker, but everyone in the 147-pound division.

That’s a bold statement by De La Hoya, but if it’s true, we could soon see Ortiz dethroning WBO welterweight champion Terence Crawford. Ortiz is ranked #1 by the World Boxing Organization, and we need is for the WBO to order the fight and it’ll be happening.

Oscar De La Hoya

“Both fighters are great fighters, they’re putting everything on the line, but when you think about Vergil Ortiz, he has to be the best fighter out there at 147 or any weight class for that matter,” said Golden Boy promoter Oscar De La Hoya. “Vergil Ortiz and I’ve said this all along, he’ll beat anybody at 147 and right now.

“You take a look at [Maurice] Hooker’s fight with [Jose] Ramirez. It was an action-packed great fight. He’s going to present to Vergil different movements, different footwork, speed, mannerisms, they’re totally different than what Vergil has been used to fighting in the past.

“So it’s like I always said, ‘styles make fights,’ and you have to make sure you bring along a fighter, and present to him, you present to him different styles.

“Maurice Hooker presents a totally unique different style. He’s fast, he’s explosive, he’s very elusive. It’s going to be very different for Vergil, and the question is, will he pass that test? Will he knock Hooker out?

“Vergil Ortiz has been knocking everybody out. So we want to see Vergil go several rounds. This is exactly what Golden Boy does. We not only build champions, but we build superstars. I believe Vergil Ortiz is on the verge of becoming a superstar.

“I believe Hooker has the advantage here because he does have the experience, he has more fights than Vergil. I do give the advantage to Vergil because of his youth, yes, but the experience means a lot.

“And if you know how to use it and use it wisely, I think Hooker can present a lot of problems to Vergil. Look, we have all the confidence in the world.

“Obviously, Vergil has a great corner, he has a great trainer. Vergil is out on a mission and he wants to become the best. I think the sky’s the limit for Vergil if he gets past Hooker.

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“I fought for my first world title at 11 fights,” De La Hoya continued. “When you take a look at fighters that rise to the top faster than any other fighters that are comparable to one.

“But I feel like Vergil is rising steadily, he’s on the verge of breaking through, and he’s right there. He’s knocking on everybody’s door.

“You have to take a look at how he’s dismantling his opponents, you have to take a look at the opposition.

“You have to take a look at how he reacts. There’s a whole science behind it. It obviously makes it a lot easier for me because I was a fighter.

“I know what the fighter is thinking and what the fighter is going through, what styles fighters like and don’t like. So I strongly feel as his promoter that Vergil is right there, ready to dismantle anybody at 147,” said De La Hoya.

Vergil Ortiz Jr

“It’s the toughest fight of my career because I’ve known Hooker since my amateur days. He’s always been a great boxer,” said Vergil Ortiz Jr.

“I’ve carried some of those feelings from the amateur days until now, and he also has a long reach, he’s tall, and he hits hard. He’s been a world champion before.

“You can’t be a world champion without being a good boxer. He’s definitely a great boxer,” Ortiz Jr said of Hooker.

“I mean, it’s not even our style. It comes down to competitiveness,” said Ortiz Jr.

“We both very competitive. If I land a hit, he’s going to want to come and show that he’s there too. He’s going to want to come and hit me, and I think it’s going to be a domino effect. It’s going to turn into a war.

“It means a lot just fighting in front of my friends and family, it’s going to be an honor,” said Ortiz Jr.

“I’m ready to put on a great event. That’s what I am, a showman. I don’t like to be in boring fights.

“I don’t like to watch boring fights, and I’m not going to be in one. Every fight, I promise to give a good show,” said Vergil Ortiz Jr.

Maurice Hooker

“To be the best you’ve got to fight the best,” said Hooker. “Look at his record, 16-0 with 16 knockouts. Look what he done. He’s a good boxer, good movement, and he’s up and coming.

“For me, I feel like I got to do what I got to do. I got to get in the ring, be smart, and do what I do best.

“I know Vergil is young, he’s hungry and he’s coming with everything. I just got to be ready. I can’t lose focus in this fight. I got my eyes on the prize,” Hooker said.

“Working with Terence [Crawford] is like working with family,” said Hooker. “We all look out for each other. I feel very comfortable with them being in my corner, and with the game plan that they’ve got, I love it.

“I’m going to go and show the new Maurice Hooker. When I fought Jose it wasn’t my night, but this night it’s going to be a good one.”

“I want to prove that I can still be a world champion at 147, I still have it,” said Hooker.

“We’re both from Dallas, Texas, we both fought in the amateurs. We both did good things in the amateurs in Dallas.

“It’s a dream come true to fight another guy from Texas. A fight like this, we give kids hopes and dreams one day,” said Maurice Hooker.