Danny Garcia vs. Erik Morales RECAP

Danny Garcia Defeats Erik Morales, Scores Unanimous Decision Win

Veteran warrior and future Hall of Famer Erik Morales gave a good account of himself in a competitive bout, but young Danny Garcia was too much for Morales to handle.  Garcia knocked Morales down in the eleventh round en route to winning the fight by wide, unanimous decision.

The fight started slowly.  Morales was the pursuer in the first round, stalking Garcia.   Morales looked pudgy, a reflection of the fact that he missed the 140 lb weight limit by two pounds.  However, he moved well and used his jab and timing effectively.

Round three was one of Garcia’s best.  Landing two big right hands, he had Morales momentarily stunned at the end of the round.  Morales came back aggressively in the fourth round, landing some sharp combos and good bodyshots.  The contrast in punching styles was apparent, Garcia throwing wider, looping shots compared to Morales straight punches that he aimed up the middle.

Garcia’s punch output fell during round five.  This enabled Morales to be the aggressor once more.  Morales was able use his jab to set up combination punching, landing straight effective shots.

Garcia pinned Morales on the ropes and hurt him in the sixth.  He started landing bodyshots more frequently, causing Morales to hold his right hand lower in order to block the left to the body.

The middle rounds went back and forth.  Both fighters were landing their punches frequently.  Morales mocked Garcia for throwing slow, wide punches in the ninth round.  In the tenth Morales landed his best punch, a lead right hand to the temple.  By the end of the round Garcia was bleeding from the nose and mouth.

The eleventh round proved definitive for Garcia, when he put Morales on the canvas with a left hook that landed directly on the chin.  Morales beat the count but he was hurt and on wobbly legs.  He made it out of the round but the fight was effectively over.  Morales was unable to mount the type of offense that would win him the fight.  By the time the final bell rung, it was clear that Garcia was the victor.

After the fight Morales was walked around the ring for a lap on the shoulders of his cornerman and one wondered if it was the final time Morales would be seen in the ring. Postfight, a visibly emotional Garcia thanked his family for supporting him.  Morales, when asked if he would fight on said, ‘I have to think about it, I truly have to think about it’.

For Garcia the sky’s the limit.  At only 24 years old he has a bright future ahead of him.  With a name like Erik Morales on his resume he will surely be in line for big fights.  For Morales, the future is uncertain.  Tonight’s fight proves, if there was a doubt, that he’s no longer at the elite level.  However, he can still sell tickets and he still has the heart of a warrior.  The winner of the Khan-Peterson fight is a possibility for him, as is a fight with fellow Mexican warrior Juan Manuel Marquez.