No need for a third fight between Ra’eese Aleem and Marcus Bates.
Aleem gave a masterful performance on the Angelo Leo-Tramaine Williams card Saturday at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Conn., outclassing Bates before stopping at him 2:18 of the 10th round of a scheduled 12-round 122-pound title eliminator.
Aleem (17-0, 11 KOs) overwhelmed Bates (11-2-1, 8 KOs) with his work rate, speed and accuracy, which rarely gave the counter puncher a chance to counter.
Aleem landed a remarkable 51 percent of his power punches, according to CompuBox.
And if all that wasn’t difficult enough for Bates, the product of Washington, D.C. injured his right wrist late in the fight.
In Round 9, Bates repeatedly shook his right arm, an indication that there was a problem. And he stopped throwing right hands, is best weapon.
After that round, as he sat in his corner, the doctor and his handlers seemed to suggest that it would be best to stop the fight. Bates would hear none of it and the fight went on.
However, in obvious pain, he turned away from Aleem, took a left hook to the head and the referee saved him from himself.
Bates took Aleem the distance in 2018, losing a unanimous decision in an eight-round fight.
Aleem, ranked No. 13 by the WBA, made a strong statement. He should be headed toward bigger and better things.