It’s easy to forget that former WBO lightweight champion Terry Flanagan (33-0-0, 13 KO’s) is fighting for his second world title this Saturday night at the Manchester Arena.
Overshadowed somewhat by the hype surrounding Fury’s comeback, the unassuming Mancunian faces American Maurice Hooker (23-0-3, 16 KO’s) for the WBO super lightweight title most recently vacated by former undisputed king Terence Crawford.
According to WBO rules, champions who move up a weight class are automatically number one contenders for the corresponding WBO championship. Flanagan – someone who always appeared to be big at 135lbs – therefore capitalised on this opportunity following Crawford’s departure, and believes that his decision to move up to 140lbs has renewed him with strength and vigour.
Flanagan’s attempts throughout the past couple of years to pursue clashes with the likes of fellow champion Jorge Linares, fellow Mancunian Anthony Crolla, and Puerto Rican prodigy Felix Verdejo were unsuccessful and complicated, he believes, by their reluctance to fight him.
Nevertheless, since capturing the WBO lightweight championship in 2016 by eviscerating Jose Zepeda inside two rounds, Flanagan accrued a number of successful defences against the likes of Derry Matthews, Orlando Cruz, and Petr Petrov.
At 33-0 with 13 KOs, ‘Turbo’ possesses the longest undefeated record in British boxing and will undoubtedly be looking to extend that tomorrow night with a comprehensive victory over Hooker, becoming a two-weight World champion in the process.
The super lightweight division, incidentally, is absolutely teeming with talented fighters coupled with numerous potential domestic rivals, including Josh Taylor, Jack Catterall and Ohara Davies. Indeed, showdowns with the latter two may be facilitated by their shared promotional alliance with Frank Warren.
Ultimately, however, Flanagan simply cannot afford to overlook Hooker – a rangy, similarly undefeated fighter who fought to a controversial draw with Colombian former WBA lightweight champion Darleys Perez in 2016.
Although, it has to be said that Flanagan, a consummate professional and someone who is wholly dedicated to his craft, is unlikely to allow for any complacency in this contest.
Expect the tidy, tenacious Southpaw to therefore largely dominate proceedings and outwork his American opponent as his superior championship experience becomes increasingly evident towards the later rounds, possibly forcing a late stoppage.
Preview by: Navi Singh
You can follow Navi on Twitter at: @hombre__obscuro