Damien Hooper

Damien Hooper
Personal information
NicknameSuper Hooper
NationalityAustralian
Born (1992-02-05) 5 February 1992
Toowoomba, Queensland Australia
Height6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
WeightLight-heavyweight
Boxing career
Reach80 in (203 cm)
Boxing record
Total fights15
Wins14
Win by KO9
Losses1
Medal record
Summer Youth Olympics
Gold medal – first place2010 SingaporeMiddleweight
AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships
Silver medal – second place2010 AIBAMiddleweight

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]

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 boxing career

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.

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 in the last of his 180 amateur fights.

Professional boxing career

Early stages

Before he made his debut in 2013, Hooper signed with Ricky Hatton's Hatton Promotions.[4] By 2014 he had 9-0 record. Then momentum in Hooper's promising professional career stalled, with a first round knockout loss to Rob Powdrill on 8 November 2014.[5][6]

Hooper vs. Salamov

In 2017, Hooper (12-1, 8KO) took on unbeaten Russian Umar Salamov (19-0, 14KO) on the undercard to the Pacquiao v Horn match and received a unanimous decision 96–94 on the judges' scorecards to win the WBO International light-heavyweight title and vacant IBF International light heavyweight title improving his record to 13-1.

Hooper vs. Quinlan

On 7 April 2018 at the Convention & Exhibition Centre in Brisbane, Australia, Quinlan stepped up to a weight division for a bout with long-time rival Renold Quinlan. He won by technical knockout in the ninth round.[7][8]

Professional boxing record

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 Australia Renold Quinlan TKO 9 (10) 24 May 2018 Australia Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre, Brisbane, Australia Retained WBO International light-heavyweight title
14 Win 13–1 Russia Umar Salamov UD 10 2 Jul 2017 Australia Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, Australia Won WBO International, and vacant IBF International light-heavyweight titles
13 Win 12–1 Australia Nader Hamdan UD 8 2 Dec 2016 Australia Luna Park, Sydney, Australia
12 Win 11–1 Australia Kyle Brumby UD 5 13 Aug 2016 Australia The Melbourne Pavilion, Melbourne, Australia
11 Win 10–1 Philippines Marlon Alta UD 6 3 May 2015 Australia Eatons Hill Hotel, Eatons Hill, Australia
10 Loss 9–1 Australia Rob Powdrill KO 1 (10), 0:21 8 Nov 2014 Australia Sleeman Sports Complex, Brisbane, Australia Lost WBC-EPBC light-heavyweight title
9 Win 9–0 Australia Joel Casey KO 7 (10), 1:29 30 Jul 2014 Australia Jupiters Hotel & Casino, Perth, Australia Retained WBC Youth Silver light-heavyweight title;
Won vacant WBC-EPBC light-heavyweight
8 Win 8–0 Australia Josh Webb RTD 3 (6), 3:00 20 Jun 2014 Australia Metro City, Perth, Australia
7 Win 7–0 South Korea Young-Don Um UD 6 19 Mar 2014 Australia Jupiters Hotel & Casino, Gold Coast, Australia
6 Win 6–0 Thailand Dechapon Suwunnalird TKO 3 (6), 2:37 11 Dec 2013 Australia The Melbourne Pavilion, Melbourne, Australia
5 Win 5–0 Thailand Yodkhunsuk Mor Poowana TKO 2 (10), 1:24 16 Nov 2013 Australia Royal International Convention Centre, Brisbane, Australia Won vacant WBC Youth Silver light-heavyweight title
4 Win 4–0 Samoa Togasilimai Letoa KO 5 (6), 0:37 8 Aug 2013 Australia Southport RSL Club, Gold Coast, Australia
3 Win 3–0 New Zealand Viliami Toafi TKO 1 (6), 2:47 5 Jul 2013 New Zealand ABA Stadium, Auckland, New Zealand
2 Win 2–0 New Zealand Kashif Mumtaz TKO 1 (6), 1:04 9 May 2013 Australia Royal International Convention Centre, Brisbane, Australia
1 Win 1–0 Australia Garth Murray KO 5 (6), 0:52 20 Apr 2013 Australia 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.

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 Australian Olympic Committee demanded he make a public apology. Wearing the shirt was said to have breached the Olympic Charter. "I'm not saying I don't care [if there are sanctions]. I'm just saying that I'm very proud of what I did," he said. "I'm Aboriginal, representing my culture, not only my country but all my people as well. That's what I wanted to do and I'm happy I did it." Although the Australian Olympic Committee criticised him, the IOC said they would take no action.[9]

In May 2014, Hooper was fined $1,750 after admitting slapping a taxi driver.[10][11] In August 2014, he was granted immediate parole on an 18 month jail sentence after pleading guilty to spitting on a police officer.[12][13] In September 2023, Hooper pleaded guilty to robbery with personal violence and was sentenced to 27 months in jail with immediate parole release.[14][15] In December 2024, he was remanded in custody after being charged with rape.[16][17]

References

  1. ↑ LONDON TIME (5 February 1992). "London 2012 - Damien Hooper". London2012.olympics.com.au. Archived from the original on 3 August 2012. Retrieved 2 August 2012.
  2. ↑ FISCHER, DOUG. "Q&A: DAMIEN HOOPER". Retrieved 29 July 2014.
  3. ↑ "Indigenous Newslines (January–March 2011)" (PDF). Indigenous Newslines. Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs: 24. January–March 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 March 2012. Retrieved 2 August 2012.
  4. ↑ "Damien Hooper signs to Hatton Promotions". Sports Mole. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  5. ↑ "Damien Hooper Vows Return After Knockout Loss". Boxing Scene. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  6. ↑ "Damien 'Super' Hooper suffers shock knock out against unheralded Rob Powdrill in 21 seconds". The Courier Mail. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  7. ↑ "Hogan Beats Kelly in WBO Eliminator: Hooper Stops Quinlan". Boxing Scene. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  8. ↑ "Damian Hooper Survives Tough Test In Brisbane". secondsout.com. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  9. ↑ "Olympics boxing: Damien Hooper 'proud' of Aboriginal flag display". BBC Sport. 19 July 2012. Retrieved 2 January 2025.
  10. ↑ "Boxer fined for cabbie assault, told to 'walk straight'". The Courier Mail. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  11. ↑ "Olympian Hooper fined for cabbie slap". 9News. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  12. ↑ "Damien Hooper avoids jail for spitting on Queensland police officer". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  13. ↑ "Olympic boxer Hooper spared jail, pledges to help disadvantaged youth". 9News. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  14. ↑ "Ex-world boxing champ sentenced for violent car robbery before dumping car on Coast". Sunshine Coast News. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  15. ↑ "Ex-world boxing champ sentenced for violent car robbery". The Canberra Times (subscription required). Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  16. ↑ "Ex-Hatton star Damien Hooper remanded on rape charge". World Boxing News. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  17. ↑ "Former Olympian charged with rape". The Chronicle (subscription required). Retrieved 30 March 2026.
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