With a stellar career and in his twilight years, having won major titles in Super Bantamweight, Featherweight, and Super Featherweight, you could say that Erik Morales has pretty much seen and done it all? He has fought and won over many future hall of famers, had a trilogy with current WBC Super Featherweight Champion, Marco Antonio Barrera, that is equal to some of the greatest trilogies in boxing history, and now moves toward another trilogy that could be just as good and exciting, if not better than the ones he had with Barrera.
If you don’t know who I’m referring to, please pick up any boxing magazines and look to find the face of one of the few champions who has become and continues to grow into his superstar status. Of course, I am referring to the current three weight class champion from the Philippines, Manny Pacquiao. Last year in March 2005 these two combatants met to fight for the vacant WBC International Super Featherweight and IBA Super Featherweight Titles. In what turned into a punch fest for twelve rounds, these two champions gave everything of themselves that left the boxing world screaming for more.
Six months after a Morales unanimous decision win over Pacquiao, the two met again. This time they would not be fighting one another, but were put on the same boxing card, with the expectations that both would win that night, and a rematch could be set for the future. Well, there was a winner. However, there was a loser too. Perhaps Morales thought a tune up with Philadelphia contender, Zahir Raheem, was not too risky and he could just box his way to a unanimous decision. A unanimous decision was read but it wasn’t for Morales. Raheem had come in hungry and ready to prove he was indeed that of a champion caliber boxer. On the undercard of that bout, Pacquiao had destroyed Hector Velazquez in six rounds. Many critics believed all the wars that Morales had gone through in the ring were finally catching up with him. Well, the next fight might have answered that for anyone who was in disbelief that Tijuana, Mexico’s favorite fighter might actually be reaching his end of the line in boxing.
In January 2006, Morales versus Pacquiao II was put on even, though Morales had lost in his previous bout. The fans and promoters wanted it, so, they got it. Only, this time we looked to see if Morales could bounce back from his disappointing loss and prove that he was still indeed the same Erik Morales that had faired so well against so many greats in boxing. It turned out to be far worse than the last bout that he lost by decision. In what turned into another heated battle from the opening bell, these two combatants again went right after each other, taking a few to give a few. Morales looked as if it was going to be a repeat of his first performance against Pacquiao. But toward the middle rounds it quickly started to change to Pacquiao’s advantage. Pacquiao turned up the heat and by the tenth round Morales began to melt under the pressure. Morales would go down not once but twice in the tenth round, causing the referee to call a halt to the action after the second knockdown. It would become only a matter of time until a rubber match would be put together.
Morales didn’t waste much time after his first KO defeat to exercise his contractual option for a rubber match. Morales said he was tired of boxing and planned to take a long rest before considering his future. Pacquiao wasn’t going to wait to see if Morales was going to retire or what his next move would be. Six months later he defended his title in his homeland of the Philippines and scored a one-sided decision over former WBC Super Bantamweight Champion, Oscar Larios. As for Morales, he has gone 1-3 in the last two years. He only has four losses and three came in his last four bouts. Now that he has had time to rest and has gotten through negotiations for the rubber match that was set to be this past September but negotiations held it up till November 18, 2006, he can focus directly on his opponent.
Morales has been quiet, leading up to his rubber match with Pacquiao. In the little responses he has given, he says the rest did him good, he’s in top shape, and training for his preparations for what may be his biggest moment in his great boxing career. Having not fought for nearly a year, will the break in the ring be an advantage for Morales? Will the determination and drive of his new rival in Pacquiao hurt Morales again and this time possibly for good? Does Morales understand what is at stake should he lose again to Pacquiao? Will he retire if he does? All these questions and more will be answered on November 18, 2006, at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.
