Morales claims second controversial win

Erik Morales struggled to his second controversial victory in a row when claiming the World Boxing Council featherweight title.  

Morales triumphed after a unanimous points win over fellow Mexican Guty Espadas in Las Vegas.

Two judges scored the 12-round fight 116-112 for Morales and the third had it 115-113, despite Espadas landing 69 more punches than a lacklustre and disappointing Morales.

"In my heart I know I won the fight," Espadas said. "He ran all night. He knew I won the fight. But I can take a defeat. I am a champion."

Morales improved his record to 40-0 but was coming off a controversial split-decision victory over another Mexican, Marco Antonio Barrera, in his last bout as a super-bantamweight.

"He threw a lot of punches. He landed more and he fought with a lot of heart," said Morales, who could eventually meet the winner of April's Prince Naseem Hamed-Barrera clash.

"He was good. But I landed a lot of the shots. I moved around some and I outboxed him.

"He was putting on pressure and it was hard for me to get in there. But I outboxed him."

Espadas, 33-3, had won 13 fights in a row and was making the second defence of the title he seized when Hamed relinquished the crown in a dispute with the WBC.