Integrated Sports Boxing: Morales vs. Limond In Mexican Bull Ring
Five-time world champion in three different weight classes, Erik “Terrible†Morales, continues his heralded comeback September 11 headlining the “Mexican Fiesta†pay-per-view show live from Mexico City.
Morales (49-6, 34 KOs), rated No. 2 by the World Boxing Council, will also continue a tradition by fighting outdoors in the famous Plaza de Toros bull ring against WBU champion Willie “Hands of Steel†Limond (33-2, 8 KOs) for the vacant WBC Diamond Super Lightweight Championship.
Morales, who is the last to defeat the great Manny Pacquiao, goes for his 50th career win in the 12-round main event on “Mexican Fiesta†against Limond, of Scotland, in the eighth recorded professional boxing match at Plaza de Toros, which will be set-up to seat 54,000 for “Mexican Fiesta.â€
French heavyweight champion Arthur Craven knocked out Jim “Black Diamond†Smith in the first Mexico City bull ring fight nearly 100 years ago, on September 15, 1918. Mick Moran won a pair of bouts there in 1947 and 1948, while International Hall of Famer Raul “Raton†Macias stopped Leo Espinosa in the 10th round of their March 25, 1956 for the NBA World bantamweight title.
In 1989, Jorge “El Maromero†Paez retained his IBF featherweight title via a second-round knockout there of Jose Mario Lopez, and 5-time world featherweight titlist Manuel “Mantecas†Medina put Jose Vegas to sleep in the seventh round on the same card.
The most significant night of boxing at the Plaza de Toros in Mexico City was May 3, 1998, when future Hall of Famer Julio Cesar “J.C.†Chavez and Miguel Angel “Santa Tokyo†Gonzalez fought to a 12-round draw for the WBC lightweight belt.
In another key match-up, 47-0 Ricardo “Finito†Lopez – another future Hall of Famer – and 24-0 Nicaraguan Rosendo Alvarez fought to an 8-round technical draw for the WBC & WBA minimumweight crowns. It marked the only blemish on Lopez’ eventual 51-0-1 (38 KOs) career record.
The last show held in the Mexico City bull ring was in 2004 as Chavez won a 10-round decision against former world champion Frankie “The Surgeon†Randall.
Also on the same card, Marco Antonio “El Veneno†Rubio defeated Fitz Vanderpool in the opening round for the WBC International light middleweight title and in his eighth pro fight, Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. – son of the aforementioned legend – knocked out Antonio Aquilar in the first round.
On Sept. 11, Morales joins Chavez, Lopez, Macias and Paez as bonafide Mexican boxing icons to have fought in the renowned Mexico City bull ring.
Former WBC Light Flyweight Champion Edgar Sosa (39-6, 23 KOs) meets European flyweight titlist Andrea Sarritzu (34-4-4, 12 KOs), of Italy, in the 12-round co-feature for the WBC International Flyweight Championship on the “Mexican Fiesta†PPV card..
In a female super flyweight battle of champions, WBC titlist Ann Marie “La Guerrera†Torres (21-3-2, 13 KOs), of Mexico, faces WIBF and GBU champion Alesia “The Tigress†Graf (25-1, 9 KOs), of Germany, in a 10-round title bout for the WBC World Cup Super Flyweight Championship.
A pair of 25-year-olds from Mexico City, WBC CABOFE lightweight champ Daniel “Tremendo†Estrada (23-1-1, 19 KOs) and WBC Continental Americas title-holder Rey Sanchez, square-off in a 12-round match for the WBC Silver Lightweight Championship.
WBC Youth Lightweight champion Ramon “Nino de Oro†Ayala (18-1-1, 8 KOs), a 21-year-old Mexico protégé of another Mexican fighting icon, Marco Antonio Barrera, defends his crown against Panamanian gatekeeper Armando “El Policia†Cordova, former NABA super featherweight champion, in a 10-rounder.
“Mexican Fiesta,†presented by Grupo Empresarial Matiz, is being distributed in the United States by Integrated Sports Media for live viewing at 9 PM/ET – 6 PM/PT on both cable and satellite pay-per-view for a suggested retail price of only $29.95.