By Nick Bellafatto
After an 81 year hiatus, world championship boxing will once again return to Brooklyn, a town that’s played host to some of the sports most legendary figures in their heyday to include names like Dempsey, Greb, LaMotta, Robinson, Canzoneri, Saddler, and Graziano just to name a few.
Not only will the new Barclays Center cater to New York City’s most populous of the five boroughs with its approximately 2.5 million residents, but it’s estimated that this billion dollar facility will rival Manhattan’s Madison Square Garden and other similar venues in regards to hosting major events.
And in thinking that perhaps all the hoopla surrounding the center itself may in fact overshadow this weekends event promoted by Golden Boy Promotions in association with DiBella Entertainment, that’s not likely to happen. For on tap will be a night of captivating prizefighting in the form of a quadruple-header, to include a number of intriguing and pivotal bouts telecast live on Showtime Championship Boxing beginning at 8 pm ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).
Featured in the main event will be undefeated WBA World and WBC junior welterweight champion Danny “Swift” Garcia (24-0, 15 KO’s) of Philadelphia, PA taking on four-division champion and future Hall of Famer Erik “El Terrible” Morales (52-8, 36 KO’s) of Tijuana, Mexico in a rematch, this after Morales was out-pointed by Garcia back in March.
Not to be outdone, several other competitive co-features are slated to take place, one of which is Brooklyn’s own Paulie “Magic Man” Malignaggi (31-4, 7 KO’s) putting up his recently acquired WBA World 147 pound title against Mexico’s hard-hitting WBA interim junior welterweight champion Pablo Cesar “El Demoledor” Cano (25-1-1, 19 KO’s).
Additionally, undefeated number one rated WBO middleweight contender Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin (27-0, 20 KO’s) of nearby Manhattan will square off with unbeaten Cameroonian Hassan N’Dam N’Jikam (27-0, 17 KO’s) for N’Jikam’s WBO middleweight championship belt, while former world champion and St. Louis native Devon Alexander “The Great” (23-1, 13 KO’s) will go at it with Floridian Randall “The Knock-Out King” Bailey (43-7, 37 KO’s) in Bailey’s first ever title defense of his IBF welterweight crown.
But wait there’s more. Also lacing up to gloves to perform on a loaded undercard will be many of New York’s top fighters such as Brooklyn middleweight prospect and recent cancer survivor Daniel “The Golden Child” Jacobs who’ll make his much anticipated return, with appearances by former world champion Luis Collazo, Bronx rising star Eddie Gomez, former world title contender Dmitriy Salita, and Brooklyn prospect Boyd Melson.
The undercard portion, also live, will air separately on Showtime Extreme beginning at 7 pm ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast). Now that we have all the fanfare out of the way, let’s scratch the surface of at least the principal contests in an effort to envision what is likely to occur come fight night.
Garcia vs. Morales
In their first go round in a bout much more competitive than the wide margin on the scorecards had indicated, the proud Mexican pugilist Erik Morales felt that he wasn’t nearly as well prepared as he is now for Danny Garcia. Not only does “El Terrible” state that he’s in better physical condition, but mentally he feels he has so much more purpose and is therefore zoned in on winning the rematch.
To be sure, what Erik is particularly focused on is regaining his formerly held WBC title taken from him by Garcia, as well as wresting Danny’s WBA Super 140 pound title recently acquired at the expense of Amir Khan, a further incentive for Morales.
No doubt past his prime, it’s unclear exactly what motivates Erik to remain a participant in such a grueling sport. Whether it’s money, the yearning to yet again become champion, or a combination of both, what is clear is that “El Terrible” is still quite capable of competing at a high level.
This conclusion is based on recent performances turned in by Morales to include confrontations with Pablo Cesar Cano, where he would initially garner the 140 pound WBC title, as well as with hard-hitting Marcos Maidana, against whom “El Terrible” appeared to edge with a late surge only to suffer a majority decision loss. This goes without saying that Erik gave Puerto Rican born Garcia a run for his money in their initial encounter.
Going up to as much as welterweight to then settle in amongst the ranks of junior welter after years of draining himself to make the lighter weight limits, Morales with this move in combination with his high skill level has successfully extended his career.
And it’s at this juncture that the veteran fighter is looking to turn the tables on his youthful counterpart with what one would think is an added advantage in that the Mexican perhaps knows more of what to expect in the rematch and can therefore make crucial adjustments. .
With that said, by all outward appearances there’s really nothing to indicate that Morales can beat the younger Garcia. With somewhat faded legs and perhaps reflexes too, it’s highly unlikely that any adjustments made by Morales will change the outcome of this fight in his favor.
Although Morales has comparable hand speed to his opponent, that’s not equivalent to reaction time and will allow the sharper Garcia many a counter opportunity, as well as thwart Erik’s own efforts in regards to responding to what is perceived to be a flaw on the part of Garcia, namely punching wide, so that Morales will be unable to punch in between those wide shots, the most notable of which is Garcia’s swinging left hook.
Where once Erik’s text book style of fighting would have wreaked havoc upon Garcia, the velocity and sharpness needed to land a significant shot just isn’t there anymore. And it’s precisely that text book style that will make Morales quite predictable, playing into the hands of “Swift” Garcia who’s best assets will be on display to include impeccable timing, vision, and anticipation. As sharp a counter-puncher as Danny is and will be, I just don’t see an aging “El Terrible” doing any damage outside of connecting with the stiff jab he landed during Morales-Garcia I.
Throw in the fact that the Philly fighter had weathered Morales’s best shots to then score a knockdown of his own in their initial encounter, and it’s just a tough proposition all the way around for the Mexican warrior.
Furthermore, the defending champion admittedly and visibly let Morales off the hook, giving him too much respect in that first meeting so that Garcia vows to apply more pressure, set an up tempo against the aging veteran, as well as use his younger legs so as to physically tax his opponent while not remaining in front of Erik to provide him the same punching opportunities previously at his disposal.
Stated Garcia, “It was my first championship fight, I was facing a legend. I was standing in front of him too long. I was letting the older guy think and pick his shots. This time I can’t let him think. I just have to go in there and destroy.”
For even if Morales does land a couple of well placed right hands, perhaps his best weapon, Garcia already took and shook this particular blow from Erik which was of no consequence then, and will not be in the rematch. And for whatever shortcomings Garcia may have, once again Morales’s reflexes have slowed to the point that he simply won’t be able to exploit them.
And perhaps the most telling aspect of all that will prevent the Mexican prizefighter from emerging victorious is that at his advanced age, combined with the battle’s he’s been involved in, is that Erik Morales is incapable of sustaining a high enough level of attack to gain the upper hand, as opposed to that of his adversary who at 24 years of age can bring it all night long.
In the end I see a more upbeat and consistent Danny Garcia who’ll no less mount an effective mixed attack to both body and head that should wear down, and/or leave Morales behind for a unanimous decision verdict if not a stoppage.
All told, and to add a disclaimer, if you’ve been a fight fan long enough, you shouldn’t always expect the expected. If there’s one thing that would lead me to believe “El Terrible” has a chance here it’s that Garcia may not follow his own advice and will sit in the pocket a little too long in an effort to land a counter left hook.
If in this circumstance Morales can beat that left hook to land a pinpoint right hand, that may change the complexion of the fight. The problem with that scenario is that again Garcia was previously able to handle what Morales had to offer while Erik in moving up in weight seems to have left some of his power behind. As a result, although not out of the question, a Morales victory is a longshot for sure.
Malignaggi vs. Cano
With Brooklyn native and current WBA World welterweight titlist Paulie Malignaggi defending that title in front of a hometown crowd against Pablo Cesar Cano, if styles make fights than I expect nothing less than Malignaggi to carve out a victory. With a slick elusive style and excellent counterpunching ability, the “Magic Man” is sure to create nothing but problems for the typically straight ahead Mexican style fighter that Cano is.
Additionally, Pualie’s experience in fighting by good measure the higher caliber opposition is sure to be on display once the bell rings, as he has no intentions of letting his fellow Brooklynites down. Malignaggi by decision or stoppage on cuts, of which Cano has perhaps some ripe scar tissue over the left eye.
Quillin vs. N’Jikam
With almost identical records in a battle of undefeated’s, Manhattan resident Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin will take on defending champion Hassan N’Dam N’Jikam of Cameroon in Hassan’s first ever WBO middleweight title defense. N’Jikam has a solid amateur background and it shows, as he possesses decent power, excellent footwork and head movement, as well as solid ring generalship.
This bout could go either way and looks to be one of the more evenly matched as well as entertaining bouts of the evening considering each man’s style. I give the slight edge in power to Quillin not because he has three more knockouts than his opponent, or the fact that he recently put down aging veteran Winky Wright sending Wright into retirement, but because Peter sets his feet more so than N’Jikam who’s a mover.
And although I like movers and would generally favor such a fighter, I’ll go with Quillin here for a couple of reasons. First “Kid Chocolate” is the hometown fighter, and secondly because outside of Omar Weis, N’Jikam hasn’t stopped anybody of note so that I don’t look for him to stop Quillin here. If anything Peter lands a significant shot to stop Hassan, with the more likely scenario being that the bout will go the distance resulting in a favorable decision for the Manhattan fighter.
Bailey vs. Alexander
In the IBF welterweight championship between Devon Alexander and aging veteran Randall Bailey, a man one fight removed from capturing a major world title at welterweight, my best calculated guess is that Alexander will outpoint the defending champion Bailey by sticking, moving, clutching, grabbing, and whatever else Devon is prone to do, and has to do to avoid Randall’s one and seemingly only weapon, his devastating right hand.
With Alexander coming in off an impressive victory over hard hitting Marcos Maidana in his debut at welterweight in a division in which Devon physically appears much stronger, I have to go with the St. Louis fighter. He’s simply knocked off the tougher opposition as of late, albeit at junior welter, in comparison to that of Bailey who although in catching Mike Jones recently to win a major world title, seems to have his best days behind him.
With Alexander registering victories at 140 pounds over fighters the likes of slugger Lucas Matthysse, Junior Witter, Andriy Kotelnyk, as well as stopping the fighter who stopped Bailey, that being Juan Urango, I can’t help but think along the lines of an Alexander victory.
I simply expect Devon to carry out trainer Kevin Cunningham’s game plan to in the end remain standing and emerge the new welterweight champion at the expense of what appears a one-trick pony in Bailey.
However things turn out on Saturday night, this is definitely a stellar fight card of which promises to please those in attendance at the all new Barclays Center as boxing returns to Brooklyn, New York in a big way. Don’t miss the action.
