WHEN the end of the road becomes visible a boxer often takes a punishing detour to extend their pugilistic journey. That unforgiving career conclusion is always dangerous terrain to negotiate; realisations that the best days are planted in the past hit harder than any of those final haymakers. Anyone who regularly reads these pages will know my opinions and fears about that.
Last month I urged fighters ? like Evander Holyfield ? to retire, or fighters ? like Fernando Vargas ? to stay retired. Erik Morales could have fallen into either category in recent years but I was happy when it looked like he was fighting Juan Manuel Marquez in April. Let me try and explain why that would be better for Morales than the prospective opponent he is now targeting, Marcos Maidana.
The Mexican thrill-seeker should have quit ? for good ? when his one-sided rubber match loss to Manny Pacquiao was followed by complaints of getting headaches. I cringed when I heard he was returning to action last year but he?s performed decently against reasonable opposition.
I?d give him very little chance of upsetting the great Marquez but I certainly think the contest would be rasping fun for as long as it lasts. Morales has slipped from his peak, which is when this fight should have been made, but he?s not just fighting on memories ? much of his fury remains.
Countryman Marquez is far closer to his best, of course, but at 37 he?s also three years older than his adversary. I don?t believe Marquez is the same fighter he was a few years ago although the deterioration has, to now, been subtle. He is still one of the game?s finest.
Marquez-Morales would also neatly complete the wonderful set also involving Marco Antonio Barrera and Manny Pacquiao. I?m not denying it would have been more desirable six years ago but you could argue that Leonard-Hagler and Leonard-Hearns II should also have been staged sooner but the drama in those contests enhanced the original Fantastic Four.
Whatever Morales has left he?ll throw it at Marquez. National and fighting pride would fuel a decent effort. He wouldn?t admit that such a fight would be his last chance to jive with the elite but he?d certainly fight like it?s his last dance. Those who hated this contest so much should compare it to Manny taking on Shane Mosley. Surely the playing field is far more slanted in that particular ?superfight?.
I?m not suggesting it?s at the top of my wishlist, far from it, but if Erik is choosing to fight on let him have this final chance against his national rival. A loss to Marquez is far more befitting the closure of Morales? career. And if he was indeed despatched by his national rival, Morales will have nowhere to go but past the finishing line without any more violent diversions. And that can only be a good thing.
Thanks for reading.
