By: Sean Crose
The 4-1 welterweight Mike Hughes stepped into the ring at New York’s Sony Theater Tuesday night to take on the 4-9 Nelson Morales in scheduled six round affair. The men had battled previously, with Hughes walking out of the ring that night with the win. The opening round of the rematch was a close and rather grinding affair for each fighter, as the two men often fought in close quarters.
The two men continued to fight in-close in the second. A great deal of grappling was seen in the third. This was a battle in a figurative phone booth. Hughes’ steady pressure began to take a toll on Morales in the fourth. Hughes continued to stay on top of Morales in the fifth as well as in the sixth and final round. Ultimately, he proved to be too strong to his opponent. The judges ruled Hughes the unanimous decision winner.
“This is my last fight,” Hughes said to the surprise of everyone afterward. He then graciously thanked those who had supported him in his ring career. “I want to thank him,” promoter Larry Goldberg said of Hughes afterward. “He stepped up. A lot of people would not have done that.”
