*Newark’s own Yoell “Boy Boy” Cooper is heading back to the Prudential Center on June 6, and the 18-year-old professional boxer says the encore is going to top everything that came before it.
Cooper made his explosive pro debut at that same arena on April 10, delivering a first-round knockout in front of a packed hometown crowd. “I was excited, you know, it was big,” he said. “Just getting that big knockout in front of my friends, my family and my supporters. It was just it was an amazing day.”
The young fighter, still finishing his senior year at West Side High School, traces his love for the sport back to a single defining moment at age five. His father drove him to a gym in Paterson, New Jersey, where he stepped in to spar with a nine-year-old boy four years his senior. Cooper was shaking, emotional, and still asked for one more round. “I think I was crying, too,” he recalled. “Snot bubbles coming out. I’m like, yeah, dad, let’s do it. We’re gonna get that last round. And I knew from there, like, yo, I love boxing.”
Known as “The Butcher” for his relentless body-shot style, Cooper draws inspiration from fighters with similarly punishing approaches to the sport. “I look up to guys like Hagler,” he said. “And I also look up to this guy, Errol Spence, great fighter from Texas. He break guys down, Southpaw fighter, bring the blood, bring the action. And that’s what I want to bring, you know, while fighting.”
Scroll to continue reading
Cooper wants every performance to feel cinematic. “I want it to be a movie, an action movie. The Avengers, when you come to see me fight, like, you know, it’s not going to be boring.”
Training alongside his father and coaching team at D.O.R.C.A. Boxing Academy in Newark’s West Ward, Cooper credits that family bond as central to his development inside the ring. “He keeps me on track, keeps me focused,” Cooper said of his dad. “It’s just great having my dad as my coach.”
Graduation is on the horizon, and Cooper has big plans beyond the ring, including pursuing a real estate license and flipping cars. He also gave a heartfelt shoutout to the people who rallied behind him at school. “Shout out my high school, Westside High School. They showed me a lot of love when it’s time to box,” he said.
For the young fans watching him compete on June 6, Cooper has a clear and direct message. “I want to inspire them to show them, you know, you can do whatever you want to do,” he said. “As long as you put your mind to it, as long as you work for it, you can achieve and do whatever you like. I just want to show them that just because me as a young 18 year old, still in high school and still in the city of Newark. I want that to be clear. We’re still in the city. I’m a Newark native, just like any other kid, you know, just stay focused and it’ll all pay off.”
Watch our conversation with Yoell “Boy Boy” Cooper below.
MORE NEWS ON EURWEB.COM: ‘Michael’ Climbs All-Time Biopic Rankings After Crossing $851 Million
Sign up for our Free daily newsletter HERE
