Yoell “Boy Boy The Butcher” Cooper made a promise before June 6, and he kept it. The 18-year-old Newark boxer returned to Prudential Center for the Crossroads in Brick City boxing event and stopped Ricardo Elizalde by second-round knockout, improving his professional record to 2-0 with 2 knockouts. Reports from the event noted that Cooper scored multiple knockdowns before securing the stoppage less than one minute into the second round. It was his second consecutive knockout at the same venue, in front of the same city that raised him, and the buzz around his name has not been the same since.
How boxing found him
Cooper’s entry into the sport was not a solo decision. It grew out of watching his father, who is now also his head trainer, Coach Wali Cooper. “I come from a family who loves boxing,” he said. “My dad loves boxing, so I just feel like his love for boxing just came on to me. I watched him do pads with my sister growing up, and I think just watching him made me want to do it as well.”
That family connection carries directly into his professional setup. Training out of D.O.R.C.A. Boxing Academy at Boylan Recreation Center in Newark’s West Ward, Cooper works daily under his father alongside co-trainer Coach Nasir Graham. He described the arrangement as one of his biggest advantages. “Having my dad as my father and also my coach, he knows me well. It makes boxing way easier. We talk after the gym, we can study some fighters, see what I did wrong or what I can improve on.”
A debut that set the tone
On April 10, Cooper made his professional debut at Prudential Center and stopped his opponent in the first round. For someone who had competed in nearly 100 amateur bouts before turning pro, the moment still landed with full weight. “It was a dream come true,” he said. “You only have one pro debut, and my pro debut was amazing. The crowd was roaring, the lights were bright. It was everything I’ve ever dreamed of. I went out there, I kept the jab, I slowly broke them down, and we got the knockout win.”
That style of steady, surgical pressure is also the story behind his nickname. Cooper earned the name “the Butcher” during his amateur years, not from one-punch stoppages, but from wearing opponents down across multiple rounds. “It’s an accumulation of punches, slowly wearing them down and breaking them down round by round,” he explained. “It’s like I’m chopping these guys down and breaking them up, like how a butcher would break down meat.”
Back to Prudential Center
Leading up to June 6, Cooper made clear what the night meant to him. “I can’t wait to fight again June 6th, have all my family, friends, and supporters come out to watch me fight again. It’s in Newark, in the Prudential Center, in my hometown. I just can’t wait to see everybody see me do my thing.” He delivered on that promise, and then some. After the win, he reflected on what the moment meant. “This city means everything to me. To fight and win in Newark in front of my people is a blessing. I’m grateful for my team, my family, and everyone who continues to support me. We’re just getting started.”
The grind behind the record
What makes Cooper’s rise more striking is the context around it. A recent graduate of West Side High School, he spent much of this year managing a schedule that would stretch most adults thin. His day began at 5 or 5:30 a.m. with strength and conditioning work, continued through a full school day, and ended with a second session back in the gym. “It’s definitely not easy,” he said. “It’s hard to balance them, but hard work pays off. It paid off on April 10th, and it’s gonna pay off again June 6th.”
His amateur resume backs up everything he has shown as a professional. Cooper amassed nearly 100 amateur bouts before turning pro, capturing multiple national championships across four weight classes and earning a Silver Gloves title along the way. For young athletes watching his climb, he keeps the message simple. “Stay focused. Keep your eyes on the prize. There are ups and downs to all of this, but you just gotta keep working and keep pushing forward. You can do whatever you want to do, as long as you put your mind to it and work hard for it.”
With two fights, two knockouts, and a hometown crowd fully behind him, Yoell “Boy Boy The Butcher” Cooper is just getting started.