Erik Morales: Was there ever a more willing warrior — a guy who was more dead set on meeting fire with fire? From his teenage days in Tijuana, right up to a few months ago under Floyd Mayweather-Victor Ortiz, Morales has always delivered drama and action. Knocking out the 122-pound gargoyle-faced Daniel Zaragoza to lift the WBC strap. Pre-bell corner praying a little too long and getting jumped from behind, then turning ’round to unleash unholy hell. Posing for a trophy pic over the knockout victim that had insulted his brother before the bout. Waging all out war against compatriot Marco Antonio Barrera three times — whom he called simply, “a motherfucker.” Turning southpaw in fight one, round 12 of his thrilling victory over Manny Pacquiao and asking HBO’s Larry Merchant afterwards how he liked it. Attacking like a rabid dog for three stanzas in his ill-fated but incendiary third go around with “Pacman.” Returning from retirement and beating the hell out of Marcos Maidana with one eye closed… so many memorable moments, so many explosive fights… “El Terrible” never made for a bad fight, let alone a terrible one. If you’re looking for the man to measure all other fighters against, you’d be hard pressed to find anyone who did it better than Erik Morales.
