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Chordale Booker: "I’m Going To Be
Taking Advantage Of Nicolas Hernandez"
Chordale "The Gift" Booker (19-1, 8 KOs) realizes that he’s
at a pivotal moment in his career. The 32-year-old is in the
final stages of preparation to defend his WBC US Super
Welterweight title for the first time against Nicolas
Hernandez (27-6-3, 12 KOs). The bout serves as the main
event of a massive pro and amateur card taking place on
August 12 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT.
It’ll be the third fight of 2023 for the Stamford native,
who appreciates the activity CES Boxing is providing him
after fighting only once a year in 2020, 2021 and 2022.
"I haven’t fought this many times since 2018," explains
Booker. "Activity goes a long way for a fighter like me
because I build on whatever I did in my last fight. In
training camp, we build on whatever went well and work on
whatever didn't go well that I need to improve on."
A lot has improved for Booker, who is looking to make it 3
wins in a row after a disappointing knockout loss to Austin
"Ammo" Williams in 2022. Looking back on that fight,
Chordale realizes that he took the opportunity at a higher
weight class for the money and exposure that a big fight at
Madison Square Garden would bring. What he hadn’t considered
was how inactivity could impact his performance on fight
night.
"I was off for a while before that fight," reflects Booker
of the only loss on his record. "I tore my Achilles and then
COVID happened, and I rushed things. Instead of taking on
guys that I could beat to get my rhythm back, I wanted to
jump right in there and fight guys at the same level as when
I left, but I was no longer at that level – I needed to
build back to where I was before."
That experience may have been a blessing in disguise, as it
marked a turning point for Booker, who knew that he had cut
some corners leading up to that fight and needed to dedicate
himself more fully to the sport to reach his potential.
"The biggest thing I learned was to take things more
seriously," says the affable boxer. "Eating the right things
to make sure I regained my weight properly after I weigh-in
and taking the time to really perfect my craft."
Moving back down to 154, his natural weight class, Booker
also began studying the greats. He picked up on the nuances
of the sport: the blending of offense and defense by Julio
Cesar Chavez, how Larry Holmes controlled distance with his
jab, and how ultra-disciplined fighters such as Bernard
Hopkins and Marvin Hagler prepared for fights and
capitalized on their opponent’s mistakes.
"I’ve been watching a lot of tape, studying various fighters
and watching tapes of myself to see where I could’ve thrown
more shots in between the other person’s punches," explains
Booker. "Where I was letting guys off the hook, I’m no
longer going to do that, because I won’t let guys who
shouldn’t be in the ring with me for 8, 10 rounds last. I’m
going to get them out of there. I want there to be a clear
separation between me and someone who shouldn’t be in there
with me."
This is precisely what Booker did in his last fight, a
four-round demolition of Daniel Aduku to win the WBC US
Super Welterweight title. Aduku was tough early on, but
Booker broke him down with a patient body attack until he
found an opening: a right jab followed by a straight left
that stunned Aduku and forced him to hold. Booker then spun
his opponent and surprised him with a razor-sharp left to
the chin that caused the Ghanian to crumble to the ropes for
the count.
"I wanted to knock him out," says Booker, who fought Aduku
in April at Mohegan Sun Arena. "I told my coaches ‘I don’t
want this to go the distance.’ I’m going to take more risks
to get him out of there because I want to show the fans that
I’m an exciting guy and I want people to want to come out
and see me hurt these guys and get to the next level. This
was different from when I fought Angel Hernandez. I felt
good in that fight, but I didn’t take a lot of risks. I just
wanted to get back to winning."
Booker looks to keep the knockout streak alive against
Nicolas Hernandez, a gritty Puerto Rican southpaw out of
Reading, Pennsylvania who will pressure ‘The Gift’ with
activity and volume punching. Booker is betting that
Hernandez will be there to be countered, and he plans to
make him pay for his mistakes.
"Hernandez doesn’t seem to be too much of a puncher, he’s
more of a combination puncher," assesses Booker. "He’s kind
of off balance when he goes for his power shots, so I’ll be
looking to counter. I’m going to take advantage of that. I’m
going to take advantage of him."
The loss to Williams behind him, Booker is confident that if
he keeps turning in impressive performances in his home
state of Connecticut, he will become a star attraction in
the Northeast.
"Fighting in my home state regularly is something I’ve
always wanted," emphasizes Booker, who will be fighting at
Mohegan Sun Arena for the third consecutive time in 2023.
"It was cool fighting at the Barclays Center and Madison
Square Garden because it’s where the greats have fought, but
there’s nothing like fighting at home. I was recently at a
WNBA game at Mohegan Sun Arena, and I was looking around and
was amazed that I get to fight here on a regular basis. It’s
one of the best arenas and casinos in the United States,
period. I feel honored that I keep doing it over and over
and get to become a star in this area, and I just want
everybody to know who I am and support me because I really
believe that I’m going to be one of the top guys and a world
champion soon."
Chordale, who is also active in the community via his "Go
the Distance" Foundation, wants to inspire and demonstrate
that suffering a setback does not define a career or one’s
life.
"I’m rebounding from my only loss at 160 and coming back
down to 154," explains Booker. "I’m showing people that just
because you have one loss in the sport, it doesn’t mean that
you’re done. You can still become a champion and continue to
grow. I want the fans to come out and enjoy my fight,
because I’ve really been working hard. I’m going to put on a
masterclass as the main event. It’s my first main event
ever. I want a lot of people there supporting me as I knock
this guy out."
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