HOOKER, LINE & SINKER CHANCE FOR TERRY
TERRY FLANAGAN could land a rematch with Maurice Hooker after losing his proud unbeaten record to the American.
Flanagan dropped a split decision to Hooker to fail in his quest to win the WBO super-lightweight title and become a two-weight world champ.
The Mancunian had boasted British boxing’s longest unbeaten run and promoter Frank Warren said: “I’m going to try to make the rematch. I don’t know if we are going to get it done.” Warren added jokingly: “Dino Duva, who represents him is here, so hopefully I can take him out and get him p **** d enough to sign a contract!”
Flanagan, who had won his previous 33 fights, lost his size advantage by stepping up to super-lightweight and he struggled against the taller and rangier Hooker. The former WBO lightweight king also suffered cuts to his right eye and forehead in two clashes of heads in the seventh and showed huge guts to carry on.
Warren was annoyed by the scoring and British judge Phil Edwards saw it 117-111 for Hooker, while Paul Jarome Jakubo from the US gave it to Flanagan 117-111. South African Dean Dwarte scored it 115-113 to Hooker.
“I don’t know how the British judge gave it 117-111. That fella never won by six rounds and the other judge gave it the other way,” said Warren. “That’s 12 rounds different between them, how can that be? That is bad judging. It’s a close fight. If someone said Hooker got it by a couple of rounds, I wouldn’t have complained, and vice versa.”