Morales wins decision over Chavez for WBC title

28.02.04 – By Marc Abrams: The MGM Grand, Las Vegas was the setting for an evening of world class, world championship boxing. The two featured bouts featured a future superstar in Puerto Rico’s Miguel Cotto, and Mexico’s Erik Morales Attempting to capture a world championship in his 3rd weight division.

Cotto, systematically pummled Dominican Victoriano Sosa in the 4th round of the scheduled 12 round fight. From start to finish Cotto was throwing thunderous punches and hammered Sosa all over the ring. The 1st round Cotto started his body assault and mixed in a 3 punch combo. At the end of the round there was good back and forth action with Cotto getting the better of the action. Sosa began to bleed from the mouth. Cotto’s right hand was the story of round 2 Sosa was drilled down to the canvas with a minute to go in round 3. In round 4 Sosa was floored 2 more times with a huge left hook, and beautiful 2 punch combination. Referee Kenny Bayless mercifully put a stop to this mismatch at 2:51 of round 3. After this display of crisp, hard power punching throughout the fight, Cotto ups his record to 19-0 (16); Sosa drops to 37-4-2(27).

The Main event featured Jesus Chavez making his 1st defense of the WBC Super-Feather weight title against the favored Erik Morales. Chavez won the 1st round with some big right hands that seem to hurt Morales. Chavez started the 2nd much like the 1st until a short, crisp right upper cut by Morales sent the champ to the canvas. Later in the same round another Knockdown was scored after a huge combination and Chavez tasted the canvas once more. Morales won round 3 with some nice right hands. In round 4 Chavez began working the body. A cut formed over Morales right eye that the doctor took a quick look at. Round 5 featured some good toe to toe action with Morales Rallying at the end of the round. In round 6 a big right by Morales formed a cut over the left eye brow of the champ. In round 8 it became evident that Chavez had a problem with either his right hand or arm(later it was indicated that it was a rotator cuff)due that he was just throwing left hooks. Despite the fact tat Chavez was a 1 arm fighter he was giving just as much as he was taking, but Morales was winning close rounds. In the championship rounds Morales was throwing great combinations and Chavez was being the game champ by standing in and trying to exchange, landing some great punches of his own. Chavez ended the fight by starting the 12th and final round winging some right hands despite the injury. Morales had a big ending of round 12 by landing some more head combinations.

The fight went to the judges score cards with Morales getting the uninanimous decision by the scores of 118-110; 117-111; and 115-112 ( I had it 115-111) and capturing the WBC Super Featherweight title and upping his record to 46-1(34), with Chavez dropping to 40-3 (28). This was an outstanding action fight and is the VERY EARLY club house leader for fight of the year. Morales indicated his wanting to stay at 130 pound weight limit which almost seems inevitable to set up a summer unification fight with IBF champ Carlos Hernandez.