BROOKLYN, NY–There was a a lot of doubt weather the fight would go on as scheduled but Danny Garcia left no doubt by scoring a spectacular fourth round knockout over future hall of famer Erik Morales to retain the WBA/WBC/Ring Magazine Super Lightweight title that highlighted the first ever boxing card at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
Morales showed some spunk and craftiness in the first round but Garcia started getting his shots especially ti the body. At the end of of round three, Garcia landed a big right that rocked Morales to the point that he walked to the wrong corner. Garcia landed a vicious left hook that spun Morales around and crashing into the ropes that had Morales father/trainer Jose jump into the ring and stop the fight at 1:23 of round four.
Garcia, 139.8 lbs of Philadelphia is now 25-0 with sixteen knockouts. Morales, 139.2 lbs of Tijuana, MX is 52-9.
The fight almost did not come off after a failed drug test for a diuretic was discovered that Morales and it took last minute negotiating weather the fight would go through
“That left hook, I got that from my mom,” said a jubilant Garcia after the fight. “Her side of the family is all left handed.”
The 36 year old Morales was dejected and humble after the fight. He graciously accepted the loss and said (through a translator), “Time goes by. This is a sign that the end is near.”
“He’s a crafty veteran,” said Garcia of his opponent, a virtual lock for the Hall of Fame. “I really thought we’d go 12 rounds. He hit me with a couple of good shots, but I came back strong.
“In our first fight, I laid back a little too much. In this fight, I was more confident and I knew I could set up my punches and land some big shots.
“You know I’ll fight anyone. I never duck anyone and I know those guys want all these belts. They have to come get them from me.”
Paulie Malignaggi won a twelve round split decision over Pablo Cesar Cano to retain the WBA Welterweight championship.
Cano was not able to win the belt as he weighed in a pound over 147 pound weight limit in Friday.
It was a tactical fight that saw Malignaggi box in his patented style by jabbing up and down and moving. He caused a cut over the left eye of Cano. That did not deter Cano as he started to come forward and the overhand right was his punch of choice.
The two traded rounds with Cano landing the harder blows until Cano landed a huge booming right that sent malignaggi to the canvas. The made the action heat up in the twelth with both guys cut and giving as good as they received.
Malignaggi won two cards by 114-113 tallies while Cano grabbed a third card at 118-109.
Malignaggi is now 32-4. Cano is now 26-2-1.
Peter Quillin dropped reigning champion Hassan N’Dam six times en route to capturing the WBO Middleweight championship via twelve round unanimous decision.
N’Dam showed some sneaky boxing skills over the first three rounds that may have befuddled Quillin. In round four, Qullin landed a booming right hand that sent the champion to the canvas. Clearly shaken, N’Dam tried to fight fire with with but was being bounced all over the ring until he ate a massive left hook that put him on his back at the end of the frame. After steadying himself in round five, Quillin dropped N;Dam from a big left hook in the corner a second knockdown in round six came from a right which could have been ruled a slip.
The second half of the fight saw some terrific back and forth action with the champion showing a tremendous heart after being rocked and coming back. In the final round, Quillin sealed the deal by dropping N’Dam twice and came home with a 115-107 win on all cards.
Quillin, 159.2 lbs of New York is now 28-0. N’Dam, 159 lbs of Pantin, FRA is now 27-1.
Devon Alexander wrestled the IBF Welterweight championship with a lackluster twelve round unanimous decision over champion Randall Bailey.
The fight was void of action with the exception of round two where Bailey landed a big right hand. ALexander boxed and moved and threw more punches and cruised to the 117-109, 116-110 and 115-111 victory.
Alexander, 146.8 lbs of St. Louis, MO is now 24-1. Randall Bailey, 147 lbs of Miami, FL is now 43-8.
Former world title challenger Dmitry Salita pounded out a six round unanimous decision over Brandon Hoskins in a Welterweight bout.
Salita bloodied the left side of Hoskins face and won by scores of 60-54, 59-55 and 59-55.
Salita, 150 lbs of Brooklyn is now 35-1-1. Hoskins, 147.2 lbs if Hannibal. MO is now 16-3-1.
In the past year Danny Jacobs knocked out cancer, tonight Jacobs knocked out Josh Luteran in sixty-nine seconds of theire scheduled eight round Middleweight bout.
Jacobs landed a hard right hand that sent Luteran down with his has pounding off the canvas and the fight was stopped.
Jacobs, 161.2 lbs of Brooklyn, NY is now 23-1 with twenty knockouts. Luteran, 161.8 lbs of Blue Springs, MO is now 13-2.
Former world champion Luis Collazo scored a eight round unanimous decision over Steve Upsher Chambers in a Welterweight bout.
Collazo repeatedly beat Chambers to the bunch and landed hard combinations on the ropes and picked Chambers apart in the center of the ring. Chambers put up a valiant effort and landed some good shots but Collazo won by scores of 80-72, 79-73 and 77-75.
Collazo, 146.8 lbs of Brooklyn is now 32-5. Chambers, 148.6 lbs of Philadelphia is now 24-2-1.
Hot shot prospect Eddie Gomez scored a second round stoppage over Saul Benitez in a scheduled four round Jr. Middleweight fight.
One knockout was scored and the bout was stopped at 1:23 of round two.
Gomez, 151 lbs of Bronx, NY is 11-0 with eight knockouts. Benitez, 149.6 lbs of Phoenix, AZ is now 2-3.
Boyd Melson & Jason Thompson christened the building by fighting to a six round draw in a Jr. Middleweight bout
Thompson dropped Melson with a hard right hand in round one. Melson got even in round three when he landed a big right hook that sent Thompson to the canvas. Melson boxed well down the stretch and landed some decent punches but it wasn’t enough to offset the quick start from Thompson and the bout was a ruled a draw by scores of 56-56 om cards
Melson, 155 lbs of Brooklyn, NY is now 9-1-1. Thompson, 151 lbs of Brooklyn is now 5-6-2.
