Boxing Profile: Erik Morales

Click for larger image © Mark DeSisto / SaddoBoxing.com

Can He Be “El Terrible” Once Again? This Saturday, former three division world champion Erik “El Terrible” Morales, 48-5 (34), faces David Diaz, 32-1-1 (17), for the WBC version of the lightweight title in what at one time would have been a bout with little interest other than to see just how dominant Morales was going to be.

In that statement, I am not trying to take anything away from Diaz or his abilities, rather what I am implying is that Morales was just that good.

Was, a key word often used when referring to warriors past their peak. It is with that word that as a writer, I often develop my most detailed topics. Right now, I am in limbo as to whether or not word applies to Erik Morales.

Erik Morales’ career is a storied one. At one time he had been on a path to becoming another great Mexican legend. A legend like his countrymen, Julio Cesar Chavez and the late Salvador Sanchez, had become.

In 2002, Morales was 41-0 with names on his resume such as Wayne McCullough, Junior Jones and Daniel Zaragoza. It was a resume that was anything but padded and he also had a win over fellow Mexican legend in the making, Marco Antonio Barrera, the same man he was facing in the ring for the second time on June 22, 2002, the night that Morales tasted his first professional defeat.

The loss did not bring much tarnish to Morales’ reputation, however. Barrera was regarded very highly and appeared on the pound for pound list of most top analysts. He had also recently had a dominant win against the most feared puncher under 147 pounds in all of boxing at that time, Naseem Hamed, just two bouts before the Morales rematch.

The second fight between Morales and Barrera evened up the series when Marco Antonio was awarded a unanimous decision and opened up the much anticipated possibility of a third fight between the two, a contest that Morales vowed to win.

After the Barrera loss, Morales jumped right back on track as a major player in the sport. He recaptured the WBC title that was left vacant by Barrera in a one sided schooling of the highly respected Paulie Ayala.

Erik followed this up by a KO win over Guty Espadas, before decisioning Jesus Chavez and Carlos Hernandez. Morales was on a six fight win streak heading into the third and final match with Barrera.

Going into the bout, Morales was extremely confident. Marco Antonio was coming off a TKO victory over Ayala, whom Morales had beaten two years earlier when Paulie was fresh and dangerous. Also, Barrera had been knocked out in a recent bout by the hard hitting Philippine slugger Manny Pacquiao, a knockout that some believed at the time (including Team Morales) that had damaged Barrera.

Everything seemed to be going in the right direction for Morales. Everything except the decision. When the scorecards were read, Marco Antonio had walked away with a majority decision. It wasn’t decisive enough to damage Morales, but just enough to dent his ego. An ego that thrived on the thought that he would be Mexico’s next all time great, which had fueled his rivalry with Barrera.

Like the champion he is and just as he had after his first loss to Barrera. Morales bounced back and this time in a huge way. In what would be Erik’s last super featherweight bout, he put on another masterful performance by defeating the man who, up until this point, is the only fighter to ever stop Barrera.

Morales defeated the man who had taken the place of Naseem Hamed as boxing’s biggest puncher under 147 pounds; Manny Pacquiao. Without question, Morales had regained his place as one of the sport’s premier pound for pound fighters.

Next stop, the lightweight division where little known and lightly regarded Zahir Raheem was to be the sacrificial lamb for Morales’ showcase performance into the 135 pound division.

Raheem had a respectable record of 26-1, although there were no real names on that CV, it was a good resume on paper. Raheem was not known to have much power or was he a masterful boxer, yet there was just enough in the tank to make Morales look good.

This being boxing, where we all know nothing is guaranteed, things did not quite work out as planned on that night in 2005 and Raheem ended up using Morales to spark 15 minutes of fame for himself.

No worries though, right? Erik had bounced back better then ever from defeat before so why would this time be any different? For one, those other losses came at the hands of Barrera, a solidified great of our era.

Raheem is in no way shape or form Marco Antonio Barrera. Even the great Julio Cesar Chavez lost to Frankie Randall, and the only choice was to chalk it up as a fluke loss and move on. Or Team Morales hoped.

It may have gone down that way if not for the fact that in Morales’ next two fights, he not only lost to Manny Pacquiao twice, he was knocked out in both. One of the knockout in particular was brutal, the kind of KO that has ended careers of other past greats.

In those second and third Pacquiao bouts, even before the knockouts occurred, it was apparent that Morales had lost what at one time made him “El Terrible”. There was no heat behind the punches, no desire to show his greatness and seemingly, not even a desire to survive. It was almost as though Morales had beaten himself before the bell rang to start the bout.

So what now? Three losses in a row and a once determined fighter is shadowing a past that gained him a reputation as Mexico’s next legend, fading before our very eyes.

Is it a temporary situation or is Morales past his best days? He is just 30 years old but a 30 that has seen many memorable ring wars, a 30 that has done more then most have in the sport when they retire at 40.

53 bouts produce a lot of wear and tear when they are against the caliber of opponents that Morales has faced in his 13 year career. Could they have taken their toll to the point that his body will not co-operate with the mind anymore? It has happened to other fighters in past years. Morales may not be the exception.

This weekend Morales faces a worthy opponent in David Diaz. Not the type of guy that puts fear into the hearts of his opposition, but one that garners respect and is capable of derailing anyone who underestimates him.

I think that Morales might be using Diaz in a Roy Jones kind of way. The way Jones used Prince Badi Ajamu after his two KO losses to Antonio Tarver and Glen Johnson; to build confidence but also as a way of testing his skills without the danger of a blow out KO.

This of course is just speculation on my behalf. Speculation that is trying to rationalize what may be going through the mind of Morales coming into this fight and his hopes on the future.

This weekend is one that I am looking forward to. I am curious to see if Morales can bounce back and become the fighter that he once was, if he can revive himself one last time to make another run towards greatness.

Although there is no doubt in my mind that he will be a future Hall of Fame fighter, the greatness that Morales has really desired for a long time is the greatness which goes along with taking a place among Mexico’s premier legends.

That is something that is not easy to achieve when you look at the past men he is trying to join company with. Who is to say he has not already become part of that elite group?

Fans can be funny. They often wait years after a fighter has retired before adding him to such a category and it seems that is a chance which Morales is not looking to take. It appears he is looking for the sure thing before hanging up his gloves for a more relaxed life.

On the other hand, if Morales really does have nothing left, then I hope this weekend is the night that he realizes it. This loss, if it happens, may be his cue to retire with a career to be proud of.

I know retirement is hard for any fighter, especially one who is just 30 years old. But retirement is better than becoming another fighter who “was” once great and is looking for that last run towards the top while becoming a whipping boy for every up and coming kid on the block, ending up that marquee name from the past that looks good on a resume even if the W came long past his best days. Another fate suffered by even the greatest of past champions. A fate suffered all to often.

The days are passing by. One goes into the other slowly, leading up to August 4th. As one fades out into the past, another one begins bringing new conquest to come. Will Morales fade away this Saturday or will he conquer yet another new division? I guess we will soon see for ourselves.

The only thing that is for certain is that if “El Terrible” does manage to make one more successful run at being a top name in this business, 135 pounds will be a dangerous division. At least while it lasts.