The one round defeat prompted a rethink in the Kirkby club – whose 'old boys' included John Conteh and Joey Singleton – and Hodkinson decided it was time to stop fighting the scales and let his body find its true poundage.
Hodkinson had sparred with six world champions in the shape of Sot Chitalada, Hilario Zapata, Bernardo Pinango, Barry McGuigan, Brian Mitchell and Antonio Esparragoza.
Hodkinson turned professional with BJ Eastwood and the new team was launched at Wembley Stadium on the night Frank Bruno was beaten by Tim Witherspoon, fighting in front of the biggest live audience in decades.
Hodkinson stopped his first seven opponents inside the distance, his most memorable win coming against former British Featherweight champion Steve Sims in the King's Hall in Belfast.
[citation needed] Hodkinson travelled to Panama with BJ Eastwood where he sparred with Brian Mitchell for three weeks preparing the WBA Super-featherweight king for his defence against local favourite Rocky Fernandez.
After beating the capable Dubliner Ritchie Foster in three rounds Hoko went to Wales to challenge Peter Harris for the British Featherweight title in just his 12th professional contest.
Showing what an exciting fighter he is, Hodkinson put on a display of powerful combination punching with great accuracy and hand speed to stop the challenger.
In March 1990 at the G-Mex Manchester Hodkinson fought in a world title final eliminator when he stopped Mexican Eduardo Montoya in three rounds, but not before he was on the canvas himself for the first time in his professional career.
A match with the American Kevin Kelley and British fighter Colin McMillan were mooted but Hodkinson first had to deal with WBC mandatory challenger Goyo Vargas.