By Miguel Maravilla at ringside
WBA “regular” super middleweight champion David Morrell Jr. (9-0, 8 KOs), of Minnesota by way of Cuba, destroyed 2012 Olympic bronze medalist Yamaguchi Falcao (24-2-1, 10 KOs), of Brazil, in the first round in the Tank-Kingry co-feature on Saturday night at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Morrell Jr. rocked Falcao early in the opening round. Falcao turned his back staggered and received a standing eight count. After the count, a crushing Morrell right hand brutally laid out Falcao face first to end it. Time was 2:22. Falcao, who was down for several minutes, took the fight on ten days notice.
“David Benavidez is next,” said Morrell afterward. “Where is he? I want to fight Benavidez. He’s next, 100%. I don’t want any other guys at 168-pounds. Just Benavidez. I respect Benavidez and his team, but inside the ring, I don’t respect anything.”
Hope Falcao is ok.
Time for Morrell to fight a top ten middleweight, he’s that good.
Me too! I’m worried I did not actually see him exit/walk out of the ring
Just Uber Drivers 🙁
I don’t think uber drivers could amaze a combined record 160W-18L. You probably know that Morell jr has three undefeated fighters in his ledge, and that benavidez started fighting this same opposition in his fourteen-fifteen fight, the Cuban just skip the bum of the month and went after boxers with winning record.
Reminded me of the Gatti vs Gamache KO. Falcao looked at least a division smaller
And yet, he was an LHW back in the amateurs, just as Morell jr.
Great that’s over now, bring on the main event. Will it be an instant classic or fizzle out and be a hype job. Here’s hoping for a classic
The SMW division will eventually have to see this guy, but he’ll likely get avoided as a bad risk/reward ratio fighter for as long as possible.
Leagues apart. Hope Falcao’s ok.
How do u go from KOing a bum then declaring you want the Mexican Monster?>
Benavidez in 2!
Make no mistake, Falcao is no bum, but he clearly was not prepared to take that fight. Once again, Morrell was light years beyond his competiton, but has yet to do it against a viable top 10 fighter. He may very well be the best fighter in the division right now, but a fight with Benavides maybe a little premature right now. I would love to see him fight Plant first, then put Benavides and Canelo in the crosshairs.
I don’t think it’s premature, there’s no point in fighting Plant coming off of a loss. He’s technically a mandatory for Canelo in the WBA and a match with the Monster seems right on time if he isn’t next in line. Ryder is getting his shot as the WBO…ijs the kid won’t hurt his stock striving to fight the best, not their leftovers.
Did you know ryder was in line to face Morell jr after caceres? hearns took him from the Armory directly to the airport, and told everyone that ryder was going to face bivol.
Easy, how many bums does benavidez have in his resume? I think it’s time to face the music, for both of them.
What a surprise lol !
Morell calling out benavidez, I hope benavidez listened and step up his game by fight morell isntead of looking for a fight that will never happen with the tiny canelo! Ain’t no way canelo would take on a light heavyweight in benavidez after taking an upcoming second beatdown from bivol! I have to give credit for garcia and taking the tank fight, it was clearly a lose situation but, garcia stepped up! Brnavidez needs to step up his game in either fighting morell or bivol instead of picking weaker opposition just to keep an udefeated record while waiting a canelo fight that will never happened!
Did I miss something? I thought canelo was the unify SMW champion of the World, tthe guy that fought to LHW’S, I know one of them was past his prime and drunk. When the did benavidez went to LHW?
OMG, that was brutal.
This kid Morrel looks like the real thing, but needs to step up the level of opposition. I also liked the fact that these guys are no longer challenging Canelo, they are calling wacho other out and not just waiting for the golden or golden eggs to land on their lap.
Calling out each other is what I meant to type.
For those calling Falcao a bum, let’s remember he was a bronze medalist at the London Olympics in the light heavyweight division. So not exactly just crushing some random guy.
it does not matter the level of who he’s boxing this young man has great boxing skills with f-you power
Remember, the guys that are talking nonsense about how many fights he has, or he is unknown, and all the other narratives, is because they don’t want to see this young man upsetting the cart.