BIG-TIME EFFORT: Brooklyn middleweight Danny Jacobs knocks out Josh Luteran in the first round last night at the Barclays Center. In the main event, Anthony Garcia (inset-left) defended his WBA/WBC super middleweight title with a fourth-round knockout over Erik Morales. (Getty Images; Anthony J. Causi (inset))
Brooklyn middleweight Danny Jacobs stood atop a rope in the corner of the ring with his right arm raised high and facing the crowd. “I’m back,” he declared. Back indeed.
Boxing was back in Brooklyn and Jacobs announced he was back among the middleweight contenders. He needed just 1:47 of the first round to dispose of Josh Luteran of Blue Springs, Missouri.
The dramatic stoppage was among the highlights for Brooklyn fighters as boxing made its debut at the Barclays Center. Peter Quillin, who resides in Brooklyn, captured the WBO middleweight championship, with a unanimous decision over Hassan N’Dam of France while WBA welterweight champion Paulie Malignaggi overcame an 11th round knock down to earn a split decision over Pablo Cesar Cano of Mexico.
Meanwhile, Brooklyn junior middleweight Dmitriy Salita (35-1-1, 18 KOs) won a six-round decision over Brandon Hoskins (16-3-1, 8 KOs) of Hannibal, Missouri, and Devon Alexander (24-1, 13 KOs) of St. Louis won the IBF welterweight title with a unanimous decision over Randall Bailey (43-8, 37 KOs) of Miami.
In the main event, Danny Garcia of Philadelphia defended his WBA/WBC super lightweight titles with a fourth-round knockout over Erik Morales of Mexico.
Jacobs (23-1, 20 KOs) fought for the first time since March 2011 after which he learned he had back cancer. He made his comeback a success when he unleashed a left right combination that flattened Luteran (13-2, nine KOs), who never got up.
“I feel a little sad the way I hurt him,” Jacobs said. “But I wanted to make a statement. A first-round knockout in a new building in Brooklyn, this is electrifying. This moment means the world to me. They told me I’d never walk or box again and I proved everyone wrong. I gave a great show and I want everyone in Brooklyn to be proud.”
Quillin (28-0, 20 KOs) dropped the Frenchman six times in the fight, twice each in the fourth, sixth and 12th rounds. N’Dam (27-1, 17 KOs) was game, but couldn’t duck a strong left hook by Quillin, who won his first title.
“Brooklyn is behind me and New York is behind [me],” Quillin said. “This is a historical event. My hard work is everything. It’s paid off. He’s got a big heart. He wouldn’t stay down. He just kept getting back up.”
Malignaggi (32-4, 7 KOs) cut Cano (26-2-1, 20 KOs) over the left eye in the second round. But Cano persevered through his own blood and dropped Malignaggi with a right hand late in the 11th round. One judge saw Cano a clear winner 118-109, while two other judges favored Malignaggi 114-113.
“I thought I clearly won the fight,” Malignaggi said. “I boxed him handily. He’s a warrior and he came with a lot of heart. I don’t know what the one scorecard was all about. I felt I was in control of the whole fight. He was stronger than I thought he would be.”
The main event was held under controversy after Morales tested positive for a banned substance. Initially, Garcia said he wasn’t going to fight Morales. But he changed his mind overnight, tempted by the $1 million purse he was scheduled to receive. He made quick work of Morales, dropping him with a left hook.
This was the first boxing card under a three-year deal between Golden Boy Promotions and the Barclays Center. Richard Schaefer, the CEO of Golden Boy, said the next bouts would be scheduled in January, followed by a “big fight” in February.
Among those in attendance last night were former heavyweight champions from Brooklyn, Riddick Bowe and Mike Tyson.
“This is incredible,” Tyson said. “It’s good to see the people working. They’ve got jobs and they’re happy.”