Exclusive: Maurice Hooker Denies Reports He’s Already In WBSS

With the World Boxing Super Series junior welterweight tournament set to be announced soon, there is plenty of speculation as to who will be partake in it and it includes new WBO champion Maurice Hooker.

After Hooker defeated former lightweight champion Terry Flanagan on June 9, it was quickly reported by multiple news outlets that Flanagan would be competing in the 140-pound tournament. Hooker recently spoke with Fightful regarding his next fight and said he has been offered a spot in the tournament, but has not signed anything yet.

“We talked about it, but I haven’t made a decision yet. Right now, I’m in town with the kids and with my family and just enjoying the time. Right now, I’m not even thinking about boxing, to tell you the truth, and what we’re doing next. I have not signed a contract,” Hooker said.

Hooker’s manager Arnie Verbeek stepped into the interview to further expand on Hooker’s future plans. Verbeek was not too thrilled when he read those reports, but did say it was one of many options and gave a timetable for when a decision would be made.

“I’ve seen [the reports of Hooker being in the World Boxing Super Series] in the news and I can tell you absolutely we haven’t signed anything as of yet. It kind of annoys me, because as a manager, I’m trying to get the best deal for my client and then people start throwing that in the news. It’s one of the options available to us. There’s many options and I’m looking at them right now. I’m going to present them to Maurice. Maurice and I will sit down and then pick the best career move for him. People report these things in the media and that’s my leverage, but we haven’t signed anything. We don’t know what we’re going to do yet. I would say early next week to late next week, we’ll probably have a gameplan,” Verbeek said.

Hooker won a split decision over Flanagan to win the WBO title previously vacated by current WBO welterweight champion Terence Crawford. If Hooker were to join the WBSS, he would join an already stacked field that reportedly includes WBA champion Kiryl Relikh, interim WBC champion Regis Prograis and Ivan Baranchyk and Anthony Yigit who would compete for the vacant IBF junior welterweight title.