David Morrell is looking more and more like a threat to the top 168-pounders.
The former Cuban amateur star outboxed, outworked and finally stopped Alantez Fox at 2:06 of the fourth round of a scheduled 12-rounder Saturday at The Armory in Minneapolis.
Morrell (6-0, 5 KOs) got the better of Fox (28-3-1, 13 KOs) from the start, fighting aggressively and landing eye-catching shots.
Fox, a good boxer, did his best to use his jab and movement to keep Morrell at bay but couldn’t avoid the winner’s hard, well-placed punches to the head and body.
In Round 4, Morrell hurt Fox with a short right and followed with a left that sent him to the canvas. He got up, took more punches and his corner threw in the towel.
“I was just listening to my team and following their instructions,” Morrell said. “We were just working in there, just like we do in the gym. They told me to let my hands go, so I did. Fox didn’t have the power to keep me off of him, so I knew that I had to take advantage of it.
“I felt comfortable in there and that made it easy for me.
Morrell, only 23, is on a fast track to a title shot. He already holds the WBA’s secondary title. Canelo Alvarez is the undisputed champion.
“I respect everybody in the super middleweight division, but I want to fight all of them,” Morrell said. “I’ve got this belt right now, and I’m open to fighting any of them. They just have to step up.”