David Morrell Jr. defended a WBA super welterweight title in his usual sudden fashion on Saturday night at the Minneapolis Armory.
Morrell went to 10-0 for his pro career by stopping Sena Agbeko (28-3) on a TKO at 1:43 of the second round.
The largest crowd announced for a boxing card at the remodeled Armory — 5,347 — came to cheer Morrell. He had his first pro fights at the Armory after early training in Minneapolis and still calls this his boxing home.
Morrell was fighting in front of his parents — Rafael Sr. and Bety — for the first time as a pro. They were allowed to emigrate to the U.S. from Cuba and made it to Florida on Nov. 2.
Agbeko got through the first round as Morrell looked for an opening. Morrell is a lefty and by the time opponents adjust to that idea, the fight often near a conclusion.
Morrell maneuvered Agbeko into corner ropes midway in the second round, delivered a combination of punches that caused Agbeko to sag and that was it.
Referee Mark Nelson deemed Agbeko defenseless and stopped it.
This quick win on the last-ever live Showtime boxing telecast sets up Morrell for big-money title fight in a few months — potentially vs. David Benavides in Las Vegas.
Jose Valenzuela dominated the co-main event in a scheduled 12-rounder with Chris Colbert advertised as a lightweight eliminator.
Valenzuela swarmed Colbert immediately in the first round, carried the fight and knocked out Colbert with a right hook midway in the sixth round.
The referee ended the fight as Colbert crumpled. It reversed a controversial decision for Colbert over Valenzuela in March.
Showtime filled out the three-bout television portion of its last card with a pair of 40-year-lightweights: Robert Guerrero and Andre Berto. They had a true brawl won by Guerrero way back in 2012 and they went on to excellent careers.
Before Saturday, Guerrero had not fought since 2021 and Berto since 2018. Guerrero won a lopsided unanimous decision in a low-action bout.
Other fights of interest from the Armory included:
• Kyrone Davis won a unanimous eight-round decision over middleweight Cruse Stewart from Maple Grove.
• Albert Puello, a former titleholder, won a unanimous super lightweight eight-round decision over Ester Madera.
• Charles Harris stopped Marlin Sims from Minneapolis in the sixth round of a lightweight bout.