LAS VEGAS – Argentina’s Marcos Maidana picked up the pace in the late rounds to earn a hard-fought 12-round majority decision over Erik Morales in a junior welterweight fight at MGM Grand Garden Arena.
Maidana (30-2, 27 KOs) came out with more spark at the beginning and provided the finish as he was the busier of the two in the 11th and 12th rounds in the non-title fight Saturday. Maidana won 116-112, 116-112, 114-114 on the three judges’ scorecards. After the slow start, three-division world champion Morales worked his way into the fight and stunned Maidana in the eighth with a left hook.
He also won round five in commanding style as his career record fell to 51-7, 35 KOs. On the undercard Australian Michael Katsidis dropped a 12-round unanimous decision to Robert Guerrero in a lightweight fight. Katsidis was docked two points for low blows in the eighth round against Guerrero, who was penalized one point for a similar low punch in the ninth.
Former International Boxing Federation junior welterweight champion Paul Malignaggi (29-4, 6 KOs) defeated Jose Miguel Cotto (32-3-1, 24 KOs) with a unanimous 10-round decision. Malignaggi won the welterweight clash by scores of 99-91, 99-91, 97-93. Cotto is the younger brother of boxing superstar Miguel Cotto.
