The official weigh-in for Saturday's boxing card at the Minneapolis Armory was held early Friday afternoon in a hotel ballroom. VeShawn Owens (13-2), a super lightweight from Minneapolis, and Alberto Puello (19-0), an unbeaten Dominican, are scheduled for a 10-rounder near the top of the card.
They were given a weight limit of 143 pounds. Owens weighed in at 143 pounds, 2 ounces. Puello was at 142 pounds, 4 ounces.
They both took the weigh-in in briefs. A boxing official conferred with Owens and suggested that he try again, without the briefs. With an audience watching, a large, tarp-like covering was brought in and held in front of Owens to preserve a modicum of modesty.
The fighter stepped on the scale, another official studied the scale and announced: "One forty-three, exactly.''
Owens smiled, and a couple of minutes later said: "I'm surprised these weighed 2 ounces. I knew I was close, and I wore these intentionally to weigh nothing.''
There was a weightier issue later, when it came time for David Morrell Jr., the mercurial Cuban with only five pro fights, and veteran Alantez Fox to step on the scale. They would be the main event on Saturday's TV card, fighting for Morrell's rapidly won WBA super middleweight title.
The limit for this class was 168 pounds. A month ago, manager Luis De Cubas Jr. was worried that Morrell was heavy and might not get there in the cold environs of Minneapolis. The fighter was sent to gym of veteran trainer Ronnie Shields in suburban Houston.
Morrell admitted Friday that for him roadwork came easier in Texas than on the available routes for five-mile runs in the Twin Cities. "When I see ice … that's not good,'' he said through an interpreter.
The 23-year-old Cuban took off the required weight in Texas and checked in at 167 pounds for Saturday's fight. Fox, 29, is from the Washington, D.C., area, has a 28-2-1 record and earned this fight with a TKO over Manny Woods in June card at the Armory.
The extensive Premier Boxing Champions card starts at 5 p.m. on FS1, then it's joined by Fox at 6 p.m. Jose Valenzuela (10-0), a 22-year-old deemed to be of large promise as a lightweight, will fight Austin Dulay in what's billed as a co-main event with Morrell-Fox.
