Tag Archives: Morales

Posted on 09/02/2018

By: William Holmes

Golden Boy Promotion seven fights on facebook live from the Fantasy Springs Resort and Casino in Indio, California. This is a newer venture for Golden Boy as promotional outfits worldwide are increasingly turning to streaming to deliver their product.

Ryan Garcia was able to sell out the Fantasty Springs Resort and Casino for the second time.

Several undercard fights were shown, but the main event of the evening was between Ryan Garcia and Carlos Morales in the lightweight division and the co-main event of the night was between Marvin Cabrera and Neeco Macias.

Marvin Cabrera (8-0) and Neeco Macias (16-0) met in the junior middleweight division. Both boxers are undefeated, but Cabrera has been the more active fighter the past two years and had former world champion Daniel Ponce DeLeon in his corner.

Macias had a good contingent of fans in attendance, and he made it known immediately why. They both came out swinging in the opening round but Macias took the best shots of Cabrera well and continued to come forward, while smiling. Macias didn’t appear to have a whole lot of power and was taking some good left hands from Cabrera, but he threw over twice the number of punches than Cabrera. Macias threw 147 punches in the opening round while Cabrera threw 72, and it was a sign of things to come.

Macias stayed in tight during the second round and didn’t appear to land many hard punches, but he applied an incredible amount of pressure and appeared to overwhelm Cabrera. He continued that output into the third round when he threw 196 punches and appeared to be visibly wilting Cabrera.

Macias opened up the fourth round with a looping left hand went right back to work. He was swarming Cabrera and was really snapping the head of his opponent.

Cabrera’s back was stuck next to the ropes and corner often in the fourth and fifth rounds and wasn’t really able to throw much in response to the aggression of Macias. Whenever Cabrera backed away in an attempt to escape and breathe Macias would quickly close the distance and pound away at the body and head.

Cabrera looked exhausted in the sixth round and took a hard left hand in the opening seconds of the sixth. Cabrera was stuck in the corner often and was getting beat from corner to corner.

Cabrera’s corner wisely stopped the fight before the start of the seventh round. Macias wins by knockout at 3:00 of the sixth round.

The main event of the night was between Ryan Garcia (15-0) and Carlos Morales (17-2-3) in the lightweight division.

Garcia held the NABF and NABO Super Featherweight Championships while Morales held the NABA Super Featherweight Championship.

Garcia is one of Golden Boy Promotions’ high ceiling prospects and is only twenty years old. Garcia looked like the bigger fighter and was able to establish himself as the boxer with the quicker hands early on. Garcia was able to land some good left hooks in the first two rounds and had a good jab working.

Garcia did trip and fall backwards in the second round but Morales was warned by the referee for pushing his opponent.

Garcia was shifty in the third round and was able to land his counter right hands. One of his punches opened up a cut on the bridge of the nose of Morales.

Morales was able to land some right hands to the body of Garcia in the fourth round, but Garcia appeared to land the better shots and even had Morales shaking his head no after landing a combination.

Garcia’s timing was on point in the fifth and sixth rounds and was able to touch Morales whenever he got into range. Both boxers were warned by the referee for wrestling during these rounds.

Morales’ corner think he hurt Garcia in the seventh round and even wobbled the legs of Garcia after landing a jab. Morales pressed the pace afterwards, but Garcia recovered quickly and lasted the round.

Morales continued to attempt apply the pressure in the eighth and ninth rounds but with the exception of a few body shots wasn’t able to hurt Garcia again. Garcia however appeared to be tiring and looked at the clock continuously.

Morales probably needed a knockout in the final round to win, but Garcia had caught his second wind by then and threw enough punches in the final round to win it.

The judges scored it 98-92, 95-95, 98-92 for Ryan Garcia by majority decision.

Posted on 08/30/2018

By: William Holmes

On Saturday night Golden Boy Promotions will continue their partnership with Facebook Live to broadcast what appears to be seven fights live from Fantasy Springs Resort and Casino in Indio, California.

The undercard will feature fighters such as Sergey Lubkovich, George Rincon, Daniel Perales, Alex Rincon, Patrick Teixeira, and Nathaniel Gallimore.

The main event of the evening will be a lightweight fight between Ryan Garcia and Carlos Morales in the lightweight division. The co-main event of the night will be between Marvin Cabrera and NEeco Macias in the junior middleweight division.

Photo Credit: Hogan Photos/Golden Boy Promotions

The following is a preview of the co-main event and main event of the night.

Marvin Cabrera (8-0) vs. Neeco Macias (16-0); Junior Middleweights

This is a rare bout between two southpaw boxers, so expect some awkwardness at first and tangled up feet.

Cabrera is a young prospect who has been fairly active recently. He fought twice in 2018 and four times in 2017 and started competing as a professional in 2016. He has moderate power and has stopped six of his opponents.

His opponent, Neeco Macias, is two years older than him and has twice the number of professional fights. But he has not been as active as Cabrera in the past two years. He only fought once in 2018 and once in 2017. He has stopped seven of his opponents, including stopping three of his past four opponents. However, his three past opponents had losing records.

Cabrera has the better amateur career of the two. Macias has no notable amateur accomplishments and Cabrera has competed in the Pan American Games as an amateur with moderate success.

Cabrera will have about three inches in height on Macias, but both boxers will have about the same reach.

Cabrera has defeated the likes of Wilfrido Buelvas, Hector Velazquez, and Esau Herrera. Macias’ record is filled with guys with sub .500 records, but he does have notable wins over Rolando Garza and Limberth Ponce.

Macias has a good record, but he hasn’t faced any significant opposition and his lack of activity the last two years is telling. Macias appears to have the power to stop Cabrera, but Cabrera’s amateur background should lead him to a decision victory.

Ryan Garcia (15-0) vs. Carlos Morales (17-2-3); Lightweights

Ryan Garcia holds the NABF and NABO Super Featherweight Championship while Carlos Morales holds the NABA Super Featherweight Championship.

Garcia however, is the prospect with a much higher ceiling and has the promotional muscle of Golden Boy Promotions supporting him.

Garcia is only twenty years old, but has already fought fifteen times and fought twice in 2018 and six times in 2017.

Morales is twenty eight years old and didn’t fight at all in 2018, but fought three times in 2017. Morales isn’t known for his power, he has only stopped six of his opponents.

Garcia will have a sleight one inch height advantage on Morales. They both have a 70” reach and box orthodox.

Garcia has been stepping up his competition recently. He has beaten the likes of Jayson Velez, Fernando Parra, and Cesar Valenzuela.

Morales has beaten the likes of Dardan Zenunaj, Cesar Valenzuela, Charles Huerta ,and Luis Franco. He has losses to Alberto Macahdo and Allan Benitez.

Morales has two losses on his record, but has never been stopped. He’s a good opponent for Garcia in that he should give him some good rounds and good work, but Garcia should be a large favorite on Saturday.

Posted on 12/15/2017

By: Ken Hissner

At the Fanasty Resorts Casino in Indio, CA, Thursday night over ESPN due to Diego De La Hoya’s inability to make weight for his fight against Jose Salgado it’s been replaced by Morales vs Zenunaj on a Golden Boy Promotions.

Photo Credit: Golden Boy Boxing

In the Main Event Super featherweight Carlos “The Solution” Morales, 17-2-3 (6), of Los Angeles, CA, defeated by technical decision over Dardan Zenunaj, 14-4 (11), of Pec, Kosovo but residing in Los Angeles, CA, for the vacant NABA title, after the fifth round.

The first round Zenunaj was the aggressor. A left hook from Morales to the chin of Zenunaj rocked him. Both boxers scored with right hands. A left hook from Zenunaj caused a cut above the left eye of Morales. In the second round Morales comes out throwing punches in bunches. Three jabs from Morales followed by a right to the head of Zenunaj. Zenunaj landed his best punch so far a lead right to the chin of Morales. Zenunaj finished well with a hard left hook having Morales off balance.

In the third round Morales used a countering jab keeping Zenunaj at bay. Morales landed a good combination to the head of Zenunaj. Morales countered Zenunaj who was walking into his punches.

Morales landed a hard chopping right to the head of an aggressive Zenunaj. Morales landed a solid left hook to the head of Zenunaj just prior to the bell.

In the fourth round Zenunaj landed a good right to the neck of Morales. Zenunaj landed a good left uppercut to the chin of Morales. Another head clash caused a cut over the right eye of Morales.

Zenunaj landed a solid left hook to the head of Morales. A 3-punch combination from Morales to the head of Zenunaj got the latter’s attention. Zenunaj ended the round with a 3-punch combation to the head of Morales.

In the fifth round Zenunaj chased and caught Morales with a good right to the head. Morales landed a solid left hook to the head of Zenunaj. A hard left hook to the body from Zenunaj had Morales hurt. Morales ended the round with solid head shots but too little too late. Morales also had a cut on the bridge of his nose.

Before the sixth round started the referee brought in the ring physician to check the cuts on Morales. Morales informed the ring physician he couldn’t see out of his right eye due to a head butt so they went to the scorecards.

Judge’s all have it 49-46 as did this writer. Unfortunately for Zenunaj he had a big fifth round. Zenunaj called Morales a quitter and Zenunaj said he saw double out of his right eye.

In the Co-Main Event 2016 Mexican Olympian Welterweight Raul “Cougar” Curiel, 2-0 (1), of Tamaulipas, MEX, stopped Israel Villela, 6-8 (2), of Cancun, MEX, at 2:31 of the fourth and final round.

In the first round Curiel was the aggressor working his jab followed by left hooks and uppercuts to the body and head of Villela. Villela countered with rights to the head. In the second round a solid right to the head from Villela got Curiel’s attention. Curiel’s body attack with hard left hooks made Villela clinch. Curiel landed a solid 3-punch combination to the body and head of Villela. Curiel landed a 3-punch left hook to the body of Villela. Curiel drew blood from the nose of Villela with solid left hooks to the face of Villela.

In the third round Curiel landed solid combinations to the chin of Villela drawing blood from the mouth. A 3-punch combination from Curiel with the final punch a left hook to the head of Villela hurt him. A double left hook to the body by Curiel dropped Villela. It looked like a kidney punch. In the fourth and final round a right, left from Curiel to the head rocked Villela. Villela showed plenty of heart countering Curiel but taking a body beating. Curiel landed a solid left hook and right to the chin dropping Villela with and a left while Villela was on a knee. The corner of Villela ended it to the disgust of Villela.

Curiel had a total of eighteen bouts in the World Series of Boxing that without head gear was good preparation for the professional ranks. At the Olympics food poisoning robbed him of his first round bout losing as a walk over.

Opening bout 2012 Olympic Bronze Medalist Super flyweight Marlen Esparza, 4-0 (0), of Houston, TX, shut out Karla Valenzuela, 3-17-3 (1), of Palacio, MEX, over six rounds.

In the first round Esparza stalked Valenzuela with a solid jab. Showed a good left hook and landed a solid one to the chin prior to the bell rocking Valenzuela. In the second round looking for her first knockout Esparza finally had Valenzuela opening up offensively until a clash of heads. Valenzuela was holding her left eye. She walked into the head of Esparza. Esparza ended the round with a solid combination to the head of Valenzuela. Both boxers landed left hooks at the same time. Another head butt warning from the referee.

In the third round Esparza rocked Valenzuela who looked to the canvas as it was the cause of her slipping. Esparza lands several good left hooks going to the body and head of Valenzuela. In the fourth round Esparza continued to outwork Valenzuela.

In the fifth round a good right hand off of a left hook by Esparza landed on the chin of Valenzuela. She was still looking for that first knockout over Valenzuela.

At the bell both boxers landed right hands with Valenzuela getting stunned by Esparza. In the sixth and final round Esparza landed a double left hook to the head of Valenzuela closing the bout winning all six rounds. The referee was Raul Caiz, Jr.

All three judges and this writer had it 60-54 for the winner.

In a swing bout Featherweight 18 year-old southpaw Ryan Caballero, 4-0 (2), of Coachella, CA, stopped Franco Gutierrez, 1-1 (0), of Agua Prieta, MEX, at 0:34 of the first of a scheduled four.

In the first round Caballero drove Gutierrez into the ropes with a possible shoulder injury from a Caballero flurry. Referee Raul Caiz, Jr. stopped the bout.