On Saturday night, July 13th, the chief support bout on the Jaron Ennis-David Avanesyan card was classified as a step-up for welterweight prospect Jalil Hackett, but Hackett aced the test as he defeated Peter Dobson (16-2, 9 KOs) by way of unanimous decision.
(Credit: Melina Pizano/Matchroom)
The 21-year-old Jalil Hackett has constantly stated that inactivity is the only reason he’s still classified as a prospect and not a contender. Hackett showcased his skills in his debut with Eddie Hearn and Matchroom Boxing and proved he’s a rising prospect.
Hackett got off to a quick start in the first round as he pressed forward and changed levels with the jab. At the midway point of the opening round, Hackett focused on throwing shots to the body, and then, he landed a solid overhand on the right.
Hackett continued to be the aggressor, fighting off the front foot, working the jab, and throwing his combination shots throughout the second round. Dobson looked comfortable fighting off the back foot as he landed a solid left-hand countershot.
In the third round, Dobson and Hackett stood in the pocket and traded body shots. Hackett had a big fourth round, as he could walk Dobson down and hit him with a variety of power punches.
Jalil Hackett reached uncharted waters as he finally had a fight that went into the fifth round. Hackett remained in control of the bout as he dictated the pace and consistently landed his offense.
In the seventh round, Dobson landed a solid right hand, and Hackett responded by connecting it with the left hook. The seventh round was action-packed as the round concluded with good back-and-forth offense by both fighters.
Hackett continued to display patience, good technique, timing, and punch placement down the stretch. After the 10-round welterweight bout, Jalil Hackett earned a unanimous decision victory with scores of 97-93, 97-93, and 96-94.
With the victory, Jalil “Major” Hackett (9-0, 7 KOs) remained undefeated while picking up the WBA Continental North American welterweight title. On the night of July 13th, Hackett aced his step-up test, and by picking up a title belt, he moved one step closer to transitioning from prospect to contender.
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