Morgan targets world title shot
With a new belt around his waist and another knockout on his record, you would expect Bowyn Morgan to be celebrating hard.
Hooking into fatty and sugarfilled cuisine and washing it down with celebratory drinks – all luxuries that have been off the menu for months.
But instead, the new Pro-Box Pacific super welterweight champion, who advanced his record to 16-1 (8 KOs), was not indulging in either after his impressive eighth round knockout of Mexican Andres Rodriguez in Christchurch on Friday night.
It is little wonder recovery was more important than celebration.
Morgan’s brutal disposal of Rodriguez sets up a likely world title shot in Sydney against Australian Tommy Browne in August for the vacant UBF super welterweight world title and possibly the UBO equivalent. Nothing is signed but negotiations are well advanced.
Morgan was satisfied with his performance, where he dominated Rodriguez, but was refusing to be comfortable with it. ‘‘I’m just coming into my peak now, I know how much more improvement there is to come,’’ Morgan said.
The UBF and UBO belts are secondary world titles behind the five major organisations but still carry significant weight.
New Zealand’s No 1-ranked welterweight boxer also has a burning desire to settle one last score before focussing solely on international opponents.
Morgan wants to prove he should also be recognised as the country’s top fighter at super welterweight and has his eyes fixed on a domestic clash with the man who currently holds that ranking, Shay Brock (12-1-1). That fight could happen in Auckland as soon as June.
Morgan’s trainer-manager Phil Shatford, rated Morgan’s performance as one of the best of the 29-year-olds career.
‘‘I’m really proud of him and that’s about all I can say. He was near perfect and executed our plans to perfection,’’ he said.