NABF Champ Cano Replaces Matthysse For Morales WBC Title Clash

Mexico City's Pablo Cesar "El Demoledor" Cano, the WBC's leading available contender and a young and hungry Mexican phenom has agreed to step in and face Erik Morales on next Saturday's "Star Power" mega-event at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas which will be televised live on HBO Pay-Per-View.

Cano got his chance after Morales' original opponent, Lucas Matthysse, withdrew from the bout earlier in the week due to a viral infection.

"This is the opportunity of a lifetime and I couldn't refuse it," said the 21-year-old Cano who will face Morales for the WBC Super Lightweight Championship. "I have grown up watching Erik Morales. I know both his strengths and weaknesses. While it's an honor to fight him, I have the style to beat him and win my first world championship, which is the dream of every fighter."

"Every time there's a change in opponent, it forces you to make changes, but I've been in this sport long enough to adjust without a problem," said Morales. "From what I've heard, Cano is a strong, young fighter, but whether it's Matthysse or Cano, the result on September 17 will be the same...me leaving the ring with another world title belt around my waist."

Not only is the WBC Super Lightweight title on the line, but also local bragging rights as it will be a clash between Tijuana's Morales and Mexico City's Cano. The fight figures to be one that will produce fireworks, especially considering that Cano is trained by Rudy Perez, the former trainer of Morales' longtime nemesis Marco Antonio Barrera who under Perez's guidance dealt Morales two defeats.

With crushing knockout power that has brought an end to 17 of his 22 wins, Cano (22-0-1, 17 KO's) has all the tools to shock the boxing world on September 17.

The current NABF champion at 140 pounds, a title he won in June of 2010 when he defeated Oscar Leon, the number 12 WBC rated Cano has stopped Jorge Romero and Pablo Lugo in his last two bouts.

He was preparing for an upcoming bout when he was offered the biggest fight of his young career. Now, he will travel to Las Vegas and look to make history.