It seems impossible to believe that there hasn't been a world championship boxing match in Brooklyn in over 80 years. 80 years! But that's a fact. The last title match to be fought in the BK was on Aug. 5, 1931, when Maxie Rosenbloom went up against Jimmy Slattery to defend his Light Heavyweight belt at Ebbets Field. (When the venue that the last fight took place in was demolished over 50 years ago, you know it's been a while.)
But that all changes this Saturday night, when Danny "Swift" Garcia defends his WBA Super, WBC & Ring Magazine Super Lightweight World Championships in a rematch with Erik "El Terrible" Morales. The two last met on March 24th in Houston, where Garcia defeated Morales by unanimous decision in what would become a somewhat controversial match. Morales had undergone gall bladder surgery three months earlier, and the pugilist's dad-slash-trainer recently pointed out that there was no way El Terrible was 100% when he went toe to toe with Garcia. Garcia, in return, fired back, saying: "someone always seems to have an excuse after I beat them." Clearly, both fighters have an ax to grind, and the battle will move past mere words this Saturday night, when the rematch is televised live on SHOWTIME® at 8 p.m. ET/PT (Delayed on the West Coast).
The bout, which is part of a World Championship Tripleheader, will be held at Brooklyn's new Barclay's Center, and will mark the inaugural event of a recently announced deal between Barclays Center and Golden Boy Promotions that guarantees a minimum of 12 boxing events per year at the new sports and entertainment venue. With an undercard that features some of New York's scrappiest and strongest up-and-coming fighters, this is a night you don't want to miss. For more information on the fight, and on boxing's return to its rightful Brooklyn home, visit the website.
