Morales wins vacant WBC title

LAS VEGAS – Veteran boxer Erik Morales, the last fighter to beat Manny Pacquiao, stopped fellow Mexican Pablo Cesar Cano to win a title in a fourth weight division on Saturday.

Morales battered and bloodied the younger Cano before the fight was stopped at the end of the 10th round by the corner of Cano, who was a late replacement and took the fight on with just a few days’ notice.

With the win Morales earned the vacant World Boxing Council junior welterweight belt.

Cano’s corner stopped the fight as blood streamed down the left side of his face from a cut around his eye. He was fighting outside of Mexico for the first time.

Morales improved to 52-7 with 36 knockouts, while Cano dropped to 22-1-1.

The fight was featured on the undercard of Floyd Mayweather’s 147-pound title bout against Victor Ortiz.