Brand spanking new Barclays Center hosts the Garcia vs Morales fight
Prior to their upcoming boxing show at the Barclays Center in New York City, the combatants posed for photos all over the “Big Apple”. Here’s the most notable, taken October 15, 2012, with (L-R) Devon Alexander, Danny Jacobs, Peter Quillin, Paul Malignaggi, Danny Garcia, Erik Morales, Pablo Cesar Cano, Eddie Gomez, Dmitriy Salita, and Luis Collazo. Photo: Alex Trautwig/Getty Images
On Saturday evening, October 20, 2012, the defending WBC/WBA super lightweight champion Danny Garcia (25-0, 16 KOs) of Philadelphia scored a fourth round KO victory over the Mexican ring legend Erik Morales (52-9, 36 KOs) at Brooklyn New York’s brand spanking new indoor showplace, the Barclays Center. And yes, this date should also mark the close of the long and illustrious career of Erik “El Terrible” Morales.
From the opening bell, Garcia appeared to have noticeably more confidence than he did in their first meeting. With his new assertive attitude, he kept on pounding away and punishing Morales. In round three, a right hand buckled Morales and by round four it was over. Morales was dropped as hard as any fighter can be dropped.
The end came by way of a left hook. A crushing left hook that spun Morales half way around. A punch that prompted Morales’ corner to dash up the metal steps and climb in the ring to make certain their fighter was okay. In this one-sided beat down, Garcia leveled Morales, so forcefully that he almost went through the ropes.
After the fight, Morales said this would be his last fight in the U. S., but he still has plans to have his farewell fight in his hometown of Tijuana, B. C., Mexico.
An overview of the ring is shown with Danny Garcia and Erik Morales exchanging punches during their Super Lightweight title fight at the Barclays Center on October 20, 2012 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. Photo: Alex Trautwig/Getty Images
- Erik Morales was knocked out by Danny Garcia in the fourth round of their WBC/WBA junior welterweight title fight at the Barclays Center in the Brooklyn Borough of New York City. Photo: Al Bello/Getty Images
In the Co-feature, a bout that had to be switched to a non-title fight after the challenger, Pablo Cesar Cano, failed to lose ¾ of a pound to make the catch weight of 147, the WBA welterweight champion Paulie Malignaggi won a twelve round split decision.
The officials favoring Malignaggi would like us to believe Paulie eked out a narrow victory over the strong challenge of Pablo Cesar Cano by the split decision scores of 114-113 twice for Malignaggi and 118-109 for Cano.
Here’s an opinion that runs counter to the two judges:
Early in round two, you could see Cano had suffered a terrible cut and it seemed doubtful the fight would continue. But being a true warrior, his cutman knew his wishes and somehow worked his magic to stop the bleeding. Cano then defended that cut the best way possible by continuing to press the action.
Unlike the pitter patter coming from Paulie, Cano dominated by landing the harder shots. Then, in round 11, Cano dropped Malignaggi in his tracks with a straight right. It all seemed like the perfect ending to a great victory by Cano.
But wait, we’re in Brooklyn, Paulie’s backyard. That alone should remove all doubt about who was going to get this decision.
Paulie Malignaggi (R) and Pablo Cesar Cano exchange punches during their WBA Welterweight title fight at the Barclays Center on October 20, 2012. Photo: Alex Trautwig/Getty Images
Paulie Malignaggi is knocked down by Pablo Cesar Cano during their WBA welterweight title fight at the Barclays Center on October 20, 2012 in the Brooklyn Borough of New York City. Photo: Al Bello/Getty Images
Next up, we had the bout between defending WBO middleweight champion, Hassan N’Dam N’Jikam and Peter Quillin, with their identical 27-0 records. The first three rounds were dictated by N’Dam’s speed and movement. Quillin came on in the fourth round and dropped the champion twice with well placed left hooks. He repeated this feat in round six.
From Round seven to eleven, N’Dam made a strong comeback and actually regained control of the fight. In the dramatic 12th and final round, a left hook by Quillin sent N’Dam to the canvas. The fact he knocked him down again (for the sixth time) almost insured he’d be able to lay claim to his first world championship. All three judges had the same 115-107 scores for Quillin in this classic bout.
Hassan N’Dam (R) is on the receiving end of a punch thrown by Peter Quillin during their WBO middleweight title fight at the Barclays Center on October 20, 2012 in the Brooklyn Borough of New York City. Photo: Al Bello/Getty Images
St. Louis native Devon Alexander “The Great” (24-1, 13 KOs) won a lackluster 12 round unanimous decision over reigning titleholder Randall “The KO King” Bailey (43-8, 37 KOs) to win the IBF welterweight belt.
Ever mindful of Bailey’s power, Alexander employed the tactic of doubling up on the jab and clinching or landing a left and then spinning Bailey around. Bailey, one of the hardest hitting boxers in the sport, spent the entire fight (entire Looney Tunes episode) resembling Wile E. Coyote trying to catch Road Runner. Scores were 115-111, 116-110 and 117-109 for Alexander, the new champion.
Randall Bailey (L) punches Devon Alexander (R) during their IBF welterweight title fight at the Barclays Center on October 20, 2012 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. Photo: Alex Trautwig/Getty Images
Saturday’s Undercard
In the opening bout of the evening, Bout #1, Boyd Melson (10-1-1, 4 KOs) and Jason Thompson (5-6-2, 4 KOs) fought to a six round draw in a junior middleweight contest. All three judges scored the bout 56-56. After surviving a rough first round, Melson dropped Thompson in the third round with a straight left hand.
Jason Thompson (R) connects with a solid right cross to the side of Boyd Melson head during their Junior Middleweight bout at the Barclays Center on October 20, 2012. Photo: Alex Trautwig/Getty Images
In Bout #2, Dmitriy Salita (35-1-1, 18 KOs) won a hard fought, workmanlike unanimous decision over Brandon Hoskins (16-3-1, 8 KOs). Salita won by scores of 60-54 and 59-55 (twice) in their six round welterweight bout.
Dmitriy Salita (R) punches Brandon Hoskins during their Jr middleweight fight at the Barclays Center on October 20, 2012. Photo: Alex Trautwig/Getty Images
In Bout #3, a junior middleweight contest, Eddie Gomez (11-0, 8 KOs) landed a crushing left hook to drop Saul Benitez (1-3), winning by knockout at 1:23 of round two.
Eddie Gomez (L) celebrates after knocking out Saul Benitez during their Jr. Middleweight fight at the Barclays Center on October 20, 2012. Photo: Al Bello/Getty Images
In Bout #4, Luis Collazo (32-5, 16 KOs) won an eight round unanimous decision over Steve Upsher Chambers (24-2, 6 KOs) in a junior middleweight bout. Collazo used his jab, movement and counter left hands to dictate the pace of this fight.
Luis Collazo (R) lands a roundhouse right to the side of Steven Upsher’s head during their Junior Middleweight fight at the Barclays Center on October 20, 2012. Photo: Alex Trautwig/Getty Images
In Bout #5, hometown favorite, middleweight Danny Jacobs (23-1, 20 KOs) made quick work of Josh Luteran (13-2, 9 KOs), destroying the boxer from Blue Springs, MO, by doubling up on the left hooks and then finishing him off with a right uppercut to knock Luteran unconscious at 1:13 of the opening round.
Daniel Jacobs lands a solid left hook to the side of Josh Luteran’s head to land him on the canvas during their middleweight bout at the Barclays Center on October 20, 2012 in the Brooklyn Borough of New York City. Photo: Al Bello/Getty Images
Interesting facts, big numbers regarding the new Barclays Center
1. Construction costs to build this hugely expensive, hugely controversial multi-purpose indoor arena at 620 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn, N Y, NY, 11217? Estimated at $1 Billion dollars. Madison Square Garden was built in 1968 for $123 million. And to think that’s just the first installment of the immense, $4.9 billion Atlantic Yards development, which could yield as many as 16 towers in the next 25 years.
2. The naming rights were purchased by Barclays PLC, a banking and financial services company, for a little over $200 million and believe it or not, at one time they were negotiating a price of $400 million. Interestingly enough, Barclays doesn’t have any retail outlets or banks in the United States.
3. As a basketball arena it now becomes the home court of the rechristened Brooklyn Nets (sorry New Jersey). This development brings big-league sports back to Brooklyn for the first time since its beloved Dodgers left town in 1957 and headed to Los Angeles.
- The 38,885-square-foot entrance plaza features a $50 million “Transit Connection” structure that serves as the focal point of the plaza. This transit structure connects the Barclays Center subway station with nine subway lines.
- Capacity for a basketball game: 17,734
for Ice Hockey: 14,500
for a Concert: 19,000
6. If you sell out the Barclays Center for 320 days a year as does Madison Square Garden, you would be bringing in roughly $31,ooo,ooo a year (less expenses) and in about 100 years, you’d own the building free and clear.
