Damien Hooper

Damien Hooper (born 5 February 1992) is an Indigenous Australian professional boxer. As an amateur he was selected to represent Australia at the 2012 Summer Olympics in the light-heavyweight division.[1]

Damien Hooper
Statistics
Nickname(s)	Super Hooper
Weight(s)	Light-heavyweight
Height	6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Reach	80 in (203 cm)
Nationality	Australian
Born	5 February 1992 Toowoomba, Queensland Australia
Boxing record
Total fights	15
Wins	14
Wins by KO	9
Losses	1
Medal record Summer Youth Olympics 2010 Singapore Middleweight AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships 2010 AIBA Middleweight

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. He was in trouble with the law and the local policeman there named Chris Seng had been a pro boxer. He ran the police citizens youth club and suggested that hooper take up boxing.[2][3]

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 César 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 currently ranked number 1 Australian light heavyweight and 9th on the WBO Light-Heavyweight rankings.

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 5th 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 boxing record

Professional record summary

15 fights	14 wins	1 loss
By knockout	9	1
By decision	5	0

No.	Result	Record	Opponent	Type	Round, time	Date	Location	Notes
15	Win	14–1	Renold Quinlan	TKO	9 (10)	24 May 2018	Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre, Brisbane, Australia	Retained WBO International light-heavyweight title
14	Win	13–1	Umar Salamov	UD	10	2 Jul 2017	Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, Australia	Won WBO International, and vacant IBF International light-heavyweight titles
13	Win	12–1	Nader Hamdan	UD	8	2 Dec 2016	Luna Park, Sydney, Australia
12	Win	11–1	Kyle Brumby	UD	5	13 Aug 2016	The Melbourne Pavilion, Melbourne, Australia
11	Win	10–1	Marlon Alta	UD	6	3 May 2015	Eatons Hill Hotel, Eatons Hill, Australia
10	Loss	9–1	Rob Powdrill	KO	1 (10), 0:21	8 Nov 2014	Sleeman Sports Complex, Brisbane, Australia	Lost WBC-EPBC light-heavyweight title
9	Win	9–0	Joel Casey	KO	7 (10), 1:29	30 Jul 2014	Jupiters Hotel & Casino, Perth, Australia	Retained WBC Youth Silver light-heavyweight title; Won vacant WBC-EPBC light-heavyweight
8	Win	8–0	Josh Webb	RTD	3 (6), 3:00	20 Jun 2014	Metro City, Perth, Australia
7	Win	7–0	Young-Don Um	UD	6	19 Mar 2014	Jupiters Hotel & Casino, Gold Coast, Australia
6	Win	6–0	Dechapon Suwunnalird	TKO	3 (6), 2:37	11 Dec 2013	The Melbourne Pavilion, Melbourne, Australia
5	Win	5–0	Yodkhunsuk Mor Poowana	TKO	2 (10), 1:24	16 Nov 2013	Royal International Convention Centre, Brisbane, Australia	Won vacant WBC Youth Silver light-heavyweight title
4	Win	4–0	Togasilimai Letoa	KO	5 (6), 0:37	8 Aug 2013	Southport RSL Club, Gold Coast, Australia
3	Win	3–0	Viliami Toafi	TKO	1 (6), 2:47	5 Jul 2013	ABA Stadium, Auckland, New Zealand
2	Win	2–0	Kashif Mumtaz	TKO	1 (6), 1:04	9 May 2013	Royal International Convention Centre, Brisbane, Australia
1	Win	1–0	Garth Murray	KO	5 (6), 0:52	20 Apr 2013	Royal International Convention Centre, Brisbane, Australia

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 .[4]

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 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."[5]

References

1. LONDON TIME (5 February 1992). "London 2012 - Damien Hooper". London2012.olympics.com.au. Retrieved 2 August 2012.
2. FISCHER, DOUG. "Q&A: DAMIEN HOOPER". Retrieved 29 July 2014.
3. "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 2 August 2012. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
4. "Australian Indigenous Olympians" (PDF). Australian Olympic Committee website. Retrieved 10 May 2015.
5. "How the chosen ones ended Australia's sporting prowess and revealed its secret past". 9 August 2012. Retrieved 10 August 2012. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)

External links