Garcia KOs Morales to keep light-welter title
Unbeaten Danny Garcia stopped Erik Morales with a powerful left hook
in the fourth round on Saturday to retain the World Boxing Association
and World Boxing Council light welterweight title.
Garcia's punishing left hand spun Morales and sent him falling onto
the bottom rope of the ring on his back. When a Morales cornerman
climbed into the ring, referee Benji Esteves stopped the fight 83
seconds into the fourth round.
He's a crafty veteran, Garcia said. I wanted to set up my power
punches and give him a little extra. I thought this fight was going the
distance. I'm glad to have it done early. Garcia improved to 25-0 with
his 16th early stoppage, dropping Morales to 52-9, and thanked his mom
for the winning punch.
I get that from my mom, he said. All my family is left-handed.
Garcia beat Morales by unanimous decision in March, when Morales was
overweight at the weigh-in and unable to win the crown, and stopped
former champion Amir Khan of Britain in the fourth round in July.
A Khan rematch is among the options for Garcia's next fight.
I won't duck anybody, Garcia said. I've got the titles. If you
want them come get them. But it ain't going to be easy. Garcia, 24,
considered not climbing into the ring after Morales was found to have
tested positive for the banned steroid clenbuterol in a random drug
test.
AFP |