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Danny Garcia TKO 9 Over Paulie Malignaggi
Danny Garcia (31-0 18 KO) took his first step into the welterweight division this evening from Barclays in Brooklyn and stopped Paulie Malignaggi (33-7 9 KO) in the ninth round. The stoppage by Referee Arthur Mercante was the kind that some would say good stoppage, some too quick but both would agree that Garcia was well ahead.
Malignaggi did his best work while jabbing high and low and exhibiting excellent feints and footwork but his lack of power posed little threat to Garcia. As such, Garcia was able to control the fight and stalk Malignaggi while wearing him down over the course of the fight. Garcia cut Malignaggi under the right eye in the third and continued to go after it causing Mercante to direct the ring side physician to take a few looks. Prior to the ninth round, Mercante did tell Malignaggi that he would have to see something from him and if he took unneeded punishment he would stop it.
In the ninth, Malinaggi showed little while Garcia landed a crisp combination off of Malignagi’s head causing Mercante to jump in and put an end to the fight.
Malignaggi was not hurt badly but the combination of his cut and the lopsided scores at the time which were 79-73 X 2 and 78-74, apparently was enough for Mercante.
It’s not like this was a great performance by Garcia, he could have attacked Malignaggi and impose his will but never did. It will be interesting to see what happens when a more formidable opponent gets his chance at the new kid in the division.
Malignaggi, a class act who always gave his all, is nearing retirement but he won’t be far as his moonlighting job as an announcer will become full time.
Danny Jacobs TKO 2 Over Sergio Mora
Danny Jacobs (30-1 27 KO) defeated Sergio Mora (28-4 9 KO) in the second round when Mora went down and the fight was waved off but it was less of what Jacobs did and apparently a leg injury that was the culprit.
Mora stated that he “head something pop” in his knee and that he thinks his ankle is broken. The replay shows him going down awkwardly as he was moving away from Jacobs.
The fight started with explosion as both fighters tasted the canvas in the opening round . Jacobs dropped Mora with a crisp right hook half way through the first. Mora was a bit dazed but got up and took a cursory count. Jacobs closed in to finish him and got careless as Mora landed a left counter hook dropping Jacobs for only the second time in his career. Jacobs was probably hurt worse than Mora was but has excellent recuperative powers and was able to land a few more decent shots on Mora at the bell.
It’s too bad that this one had to end the way it did, the first round was probably the round of the year and it had all the signs of a great fight.
Update 8/2- Hopefully the decision will be changed to a “no-contest” because it has been reported that Mora suffered a fractured ankle.