HBO promised its fite faithful Saturday nite’s Chavez-Morales battle for the WBA jr. lightweight  bauble was a natural … trust me when I say it was that and more … both champions earned a curtain call and a half.

Chavez entered with the title and Morales claimed it as his own following 12 rounds of no-nonsense, bloodletting,  pitch-n-catch fury.

Chavez the quicker from the gate at the opening bell … brings it to the bigger hitting Morales with both hands … little past halfway mark the furious flurries are punctuated by a big overhand right  and left hook to the jaw and Morales appears in trouble.

But closing seconds sees Erik  rebounding with a flurry of his own … and then stanza two with Chavez on the attack … scores with a solid right hand and then pauses to see results of his work … bam … a Morales right uppercut finds the sweet spot and Chavez is down.

And then it is Morales looking to finish … and another right hand drops the defending champion who somehow survives the candle … and from rounds three thru eight it is touch and go in the scoring department … but following a big Chavez eighth stanza we’d no longer see them two-fisted flurries that served him so well earlier on.

Hint was a possible return of right-shoulder rotator cuff problems for Chavez … and the 31 year old warrior battled to the finish line firing tons of assorted left hooks to body and head in a gallant albeit losing effort to retain the crown.

Morales as well, complained of hand problems during his turn chatting with Merchant  … said it came during the second candle onslaught when trying to close the show following the two knockdowns.

Just where these two go from here is anyone’s guess … first a well earned rest for the healing process - then the answers to some serious questions.

Chavez: Age 31, with 43 office visits  (40-3, 28 KOs) and now a hint of recurring shoulder problems coupled with a wham-bam style … and at 5’5" not much room for style change speaks volumes in decision making.

Morales: Younger than Chavez by four years … still, in a division loaded with good ones and a guy not known for finesse … never once in prior wars with Barrera and now Chavez did he use the height and reach department. No jab of consequence … strictly a walk in and bang type with mucho power inside each mitten but takes as much as he gives. Wouldn’t bet the rent money were future  foes with names Corrales or Casamayor, Freitas or similar. Did I omit his now 47 ring calls (46-1, 34 KOs) ? Mucho wear and tear.

GEL