Damien Hooper
Damien Hooper | |
|---|---|
| Born | 5 February 1992 |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Other names | Super Hooper |
| Statistics | |
| Weight(s) | 80 kg (176 lb) Light Heavyweight |
| Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) |
| Reach | 80″ / 203cm |
| Boxing record | |
| Total fights | 15 |
| Wins | 14 |
| Wins by KO | 9 |
| Losses | 1 |
| Draws | 0 |
Damien 'Super' Hooper (born 5 February 1992) in Toowoomba, Queensland) is an Indigenous Australian professional boxer; he was selected to represent Australia at the 2012 Summer Olympics in the light heavyweight division.[1]
Early life
Hooper was raised by his grandmother, Lillian Weribone, in a Dalby Queensland, Australia. Hooper began boxing at the age of eleven with older brother Troy Hooper.[2]
Amateur
In 2010, he became the first Indigenous Australian to win a junior world title when he won the 75 kg category at the Youth Olympics in Singapore. In the same year, he won a silver medal at the Youth World Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan, and was selected in the Australian team for the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi. He was an Australian Institute of Sport boxing scholarship holder.
The following year, Hooper stepped up a weight division and into open competition. He returned to Baku for the 2011 World Amateur Boxing Championships – Light heavyweight 2011 World Amateur Boxing Championships, where he made the quarter finals, being edged out by Julio Cesar la Cruz 13:14 and earned direct qualification for the London Olympics. In the last of his 180 amateur fights,
2012 London Summer Olympics
At the 2012 London Summer Olympics, he beat Marcus Browne then he lost on points to 81 kg gold medallist Egor Mekhontsev of Russia.
Professional boxing
Before he made his debut in 2013, Hooper signed with Ricky Hatton's Hatton Promotions by 2014 he had 9-0 8KO. Then momentum in Hooper's promising professional career stalled, with the Olympians loss to Rob Powdrill in November 2014 then in 2015 He lost his professional deal with Ricky Hatton’s promotional company, He is now with No Limit Boxing. He is ranked 9th WBO Light-Heavyweight
Hooper vs. Umar Salamov
2017 Hooper (12-1, 8KO) took on unbeaten Russian Umar Salamov (19-0, 14KO) on the undercard to the Pacquiao v Horn blockbuster and got a unanimous decision 96-94 on all three judges score cards to win the WBO International light heavyweight title and vacant IBF International light heavyweight title improving his record to 13-1 8KO.
Hooper vs. Renold Quinlan
In a wild bitter rivalry, he took on hard hitting fellow aussie super middleweight Renold Quinlan Hooper controlled the early action with his long jab and occasional right crosses but the balance of the fight changed in the 5rd hooper was down twice but recovered and regained control in the eighth to earn a TKO win over Quinlan at 2min 19sec of the ninth round to move his record to (14-1, 9KO).
Professional Record And Titles
Personal life
Hooper's older brother Troy died in 2012 in a workplace accident, two months after he fought at the London Olympics. He traces his Indigenous family ancestry to the Kamilaroi people. He is recognized in the Australian Olympic Committee list of Australian Indigenous Olympians.[3]
Controversy
On 30 July, in London at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Hooper stepped into the ring for his Olympic bout wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with the Australian Aboriginal flag: the same flag now[when?] approved to fly on public buildings in Australia. The Australian Olympic Committee demanded he make a public apology. Wearing the shirt was said to have breached the Olympic Charter. "I'm representing my culture, not only my country", said Hooper. "I'm proud of what I did."[4]
References
- ^ LONDON TIME (5 February 1992). "London 2012 - Damien Hooper". London2012.olympics.com.au. Retrieved 2 August 2012.
- ^ "Indigenous Newslines" (PDF). Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs. January–March 2011: 24. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 March 2012. Retrieved 2012-08-02.
{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires|journal=(help); Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ "Australian Indigenous Olympians" (PDF). Australian Olympic Committee website. Retrieved 10 May 2015.
- ^ "How the chosen ones ended Australia's sporting prowess and revealed its secret past". 9 August 2012. Retrieved 10 August 2012.
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External links
- Use dmy dates from April 2011
- Indigenous Australian boxers
- 1992 births
- Living people
- Gamilaraay
- Indigenous Australian Olympians
- People from Toowoomba
- Australian Institute of Sport boxers
- Boxers at the 2010 Summer Youth Olympics
- Boxers at the 2012 Summer Olympics
- Olympic boxers of Australia
- Australian male boxers