Danny Garcia defeats Erik Morales, captures WBC 140 pound title

By Boxing News - 03/24/2012 - Comments

Image: Danny Garcia defeats Erik Morales, captures WBC 140 pound titleBy Jim Dower: Undefeated Danny Garcia (23-0, 14 KO’s) had too much youth, speed and power on Saturday night for 35-year-old former four division world champion Erik Morales (52-8, 36 KO’s) in defeating him by a 12 round unanimous decision to capture the World Boxing Council (WBC) light welterweight title at the Reliant Arena in Houston, Texas. The final judges’ scores were 118-109, 116-112, 117-110.

Garcia knocked Morales down in the 11th round from a big left hand. Morales was hurt in that round and took punishment in the 12th round as well. Morales fought gamely, but didn’t have the work rate or the power to match Garcia. Morales did make a mess of Garcia’s nose in the later rounds and may have broken it in the 10th. However, Garcia came on strong in the 11th to hurt Morales and put him on the canvas.

Morales fought well enough to make the early rounds close. He kept constant pressure on Garcia with his excellent jab and right hands. However, the faster Garcia was always ready to answer back with combinations when he was hit. Garcia’s jab wasn’t nearly as active and as good as Morales’. But Garcia made up for it by landing powerful combinations to control the first three rounds. Garcia seemed to give Morales too much respect in the first two rounds by fighting him like he was about to go off. However, in the 3rd round, Garcia suddenly changed tactics and began to hit Morales hard. Near the end of the round, Garcia landed a huge left hook that sent Morales bouncing off the ropes. Garcia followed up with several more hard shots before the round ended.

Morales bounced back nicely in the 4th, fighting behind a hard jab and keeping Garcia stuck on the outside with that weapon alone. Garcia looked clueless in this round, as he was able to get past Morales’ jab for any length of time.

In the 5th, Morales again controlled the action with his jab, but in this round he threw a lot more right hands and landed with a high degree of accuracy.

In rounds six through nine, Garcia dominate the action with his higher work rate and faster speed. Morales just looked old in these rounds and wasn’t bale to keep up with Garcia. Morales was hit with a lot of hard shots in the 9th.

Morales came back strong in the 10th behind a stiff jab that he used to bloody and puff up Garcia’s nose to where it looked broken. Morales was able to land a lot of right hands in the round.

Things were looking good for Morales at the start of the 11th when he walked into a hard left hook-right hand that knocked him down. Morales got up slowly and took a number of hard shots until the round ended. Morales looked hurt and it’s to his credit that he was able to make it out of the round in one piece.

The 12th round was all Garcia, as he hit Morales nonstop throughout the round to end the fight on a strong note.



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