CARDIFF, 30 June 2003 — Welshman Joe Calzaghe successfully defended his WBO super-middleweight title here on Saturday when he stopped American opponent Byron Mitchell in the second round.
But the 31-year-old had to overcome the first knockdown of his professional career before ending Mitchell’s hopes of a shock win. After dominating the first round, Calzaghe was stunned early in the second when Mitchell, a former double WBA champion, sent him crashing to the canvas with a huge right hand.
The Welshman, who had already mounted 12 successful defenses of his title since 1997, got up and sent Mitchell to the floor with a left hook and the fight was stopped. Unbeaten Champ Morel Romps
in Flyweight Title Defense
In Bayamon, Puerto Rico, unbeaten Eric Morel defended his World Boxing Association flyweight crown in style on Saturday in his homeland, taking a unanimous decision over American challenger Isidro Garcia.
Morel won by judges scored of 116-110, 115-111 and 115-111, improving his record to 33-0. Garcia fell to 22-3 with two drawn.
The champion dominated the early rounds while Garcia had a point deducted for low blows in both the fifth and eighth rounds.
While Garcia tried to make a late rally knowing he needed a knockout, it was too little and too late. Morel is considering moving up to the junior bantamweight or bantamweight division, but could keep his title for one more flyweight fight — a unification showdown against Colombian southpaw Irene Pacheco.
