Cuban David Morrell faces Sena Agbeko of Ghana on Saturday, December 16 at The Armory in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The pair squares off in a 12-round main event bout, headlining the final boxing fight card live on Showtime.
Morell (9-0, 8 KOs) makes the fifth defense of his WBA ‘Regular’ 168-pound title. Unbeaten 25-year-old last fought in April in Las Vegas, where he stopped Yamaguchi Falcao in the first round. The latter replaced Agbeko, who wasn’t licensed by NSAC. Although Minneapolis-based super middleweight is fully focused on his task at hand and promises a knockout, he also eyes a showdown with interim WBC champion David Benavidez.
“When you disrespect me, you’re gonna suffer,” David Morrell said at the final pre-fight press conference. “When you talk like that to my face, now it’s time for the punishment. I’m going to knock his ass out in the sixth or seventh round this Saturday night. My Christmas present for him is gonna be a knockout.”
“This is a great opportunity to headline the last fight on Showtime. I was ready for him in April and I’m ready for him now. I’ll show him and anyone who doubts me.”
“it’s going to be worse for him now. I’m better now than if we had fought in April. I’m taking him right out now.”
“I’m really just focused on Agbeko. My body and my mental are 100%. I’m not thinking about David Benavidez right now. I’ll come for him after Agbeko. I’m taking this guy out first.”
“I feel great to have this opportunity. My family is coming here to watch me for the first time. This is my time and this is my moment. I want everything.”
“Having my family here doesn’t put pressure on me. It takes the pressure away. It’s going to make me feel great and clear my head, since I don’t need to worry about how they are doing in Cuba anymore. Once I’m inside the ring, my focus will be fully on Agbeko.”
‘I want to add my name to a long line of Ghanaian champions’
Nashville, Tennessee-based Agbeko (28-2, 22 KOs) was in action in October when he stopped Bruno Leonardo Romay in the second round. The 31-year-old native of Accra, Ghana looks for his sixth straight victory and makes the first attempt to become champion.
“I’ve always had the mindset that I want to be the top guy at super middleweight,” Sena Agbeko said. “I want to face the best. That’s what I’ve wanted since the beginning.”
“I can’t hate a man who’s on the same mission as me. We both want to be world champion. We were supposed to fight in April, and I believe that someone went to great lengths to stop the fight from happening then.”
“I wanted this fight because of what I know about myself. There’s so much that I’ve done that people have chosen to ignore. I just wanted a chance. I’ve just needed the stage to prove it.”
“I fought to get this fight back, because I deserved it. I’m grateful to the universe, and to David and his team for accepting the fight.”
“I truly believe that his team thinks I’m a sheep coming to the slaughter house. But they don’t know that I’m a wolf in sheep’s clothing.”
“This will be the culmination of everything I’ve ever dreamed of. It’s been a long 12 years. I’ve trained the whole time like I’m fighting for a world title. To win this fight Saturday night will mean everything to me. I want to add my name to a long line of Ghanaian champions.”
In the co-main event, Chris Colbert (17-1, 6 KOs) of Brooklyn takes on Renton, Washington-based Jose Valenzuela (12-2, 8 KOs) of Los Mochis, Mexico in a rematch. The telecast opener pits Robert Guerrero (37-6-1, 20 KOs) of Gilroy, California against fellow former world champion Andre Berto (32-5, 24 KOs) of Winter Haven, Florida at welterweight.
In the UK and Australia, Morrell vs Agbeko airs live on Sunday, December 17.
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