Olympic boxer Damien Hooper to make professional debut in Brisbane TURNING PRO: Boxer Damien Hooper represented Australia at the 2012 London Olympic Games. CONTROVERSIAL London Olympics boxer Damien Hooper will make his professional debut in Brisbane next month on a fight card being promoted by Kostya Tszyu's conqueror Ricky Hatton. Hatton said the 21-year-old Aboriginal light-heavyweight (79kg), who was charged with assaulting police in Dalby in January, had an enormous future as a pro fighter. "I'm very excited to have Damien Hooper on board," said Englishman Hatton, who ended Tszyu's career with an 11th round knockout in Manchester in 2005. He's a very talented individual who has the potential to follow in the footsteps of Australian greats such as Jeff Fenech and Tszyu. At the London Games last year, Hooper outpointed American champion Marcus Browne before losing in his next fight against Russia's eventual gold medallist Egor Mekhontcev. Before his win over Browne, Hooper clashed with Australian officials by wearing a T-shirt bearing the Aboriginal flag. He later apologised for breaching protocol. In 2010 Hooper won a gold medal at the 2010 Youth Olympics in Singapore and a silver at the Youth World Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan that same year. "I'm going to make some big statements quickly in the pro ranks," Hooper said. His pro debut will take place at Brisbane's RNA Showgrounds on April 20 with Hatton in attendance. Hooper is the third Australian to sign with Hatton Promotions following unbeaten Perth heavyweight Lucas "Big Daddy" Browne and Moree Olympian Cameron Hammond.