Boxing: Morales hits out at referee after defeat

Erik Morales believes poor refereeing cost him victory in his rematch with his fellow Mexican Marco Antonio Barrera. Two years after winning a split decision over Barrera, Morales lost out in the World Boxing Council featherweight title fight in Las Vegas on Saturday on a unanimous verdict.

"I still think I won the fight," said Morales. "He did nothing the first six or seven rounds."

Morales was caught at the end of the fifth when he thought the 10-second warning was the end of round bell and was hit by a Barrera combination.

Then, in the seventh, Barrera went down under a Morales right only for the referee to rule it a slip. However, Morales suffered bad swelling to his right eye in the later stages from Barrera's left jabs.