Promoter Bob Arum’s plan is for Erik Morales and Manny Pacquiao to fight on the same card on Sept.10 at Staples Center and on HBO to set up their anticipated rematch in December on pay-per-view.
Morales and Pacquiao have difficult hurdles to overcome for their rematch to become a reality.
Pacquiao faces Hector Velazquez, who has won several regional titles and defeated former world champion Guty Espadas Jr.
Morales has to get by Zahir Raheem, a 1996 U.S. Olympian with loads of talent and amateur experience.
The lone blemish on Raheem’s record came a year ago when he was the victim of a hometown decision against 2000 U.S. Olympian Rocky Juarez.
Raheem appeared to outwork and outbox Juarez in Juarez’s hometown of Houston, but the judges awarded Juarez the decision. Also, Raheem seemed to be fighting Texas referee Robert Gonzalez as much as Juarez. Gonzalez was all over Raheem although Raheem didn’t appear to be committing infractions.
“It brought me down a little bit,” Raheem said at a Wednesday news conference at the Beverly Hills Hotel. “It also motivated me. We know and the fans know I won that fight. I just have to work harder.”
Raheem said he will be much stronger when he faces Morales. He said he “killed” himself to get down to the 126-pound weight limit for the Juarez fight and still had the strength to dominate. This time he will fight at 130 pounds, his natural weight.
“I’ve been in the game since ’96,” Raheem said. “I paid my dues. I haven’t had those opportunities. This is my opportunity.”
MAYWEATHER AGENDA
WBC super-lightweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr., fresh off his June 25 victory against Arturo Gatti, is still trying to figure his next move.
“Ricky Hatton’s people have already told us they aren’t interested in fighting (WBO 140-pound champion Miguel) Cotto or Mayweather right now,” Top Rank’s Todd duBoef said. “He (Hatton) is going to have a couple of fights in England.”
The most interesting possibilities for Mayweather appear to be in higher weight divisions. Mayweather has said he would have no problem moving up to 147 or 154 pounds to face WBO welterweight champion Antonio Margarito or former undisputed super-welterweight champion Winky Wright.
“Floyd wants to fight on pay-per-view,” duBoef said. “You have to find compelling fights for pay-per-view. Floyd against Wright is pretty compelling.”
NOTES
Brian Viloria gets his first shot at a world title when he challenges WBC junior-flyweight champion Eric Ortiz on the Morales-Raheem undercard on Sept. 10 at Staples Center. Viloria will be fighting for the first time since his fight against Ruben Contreras, who suffered a brain injury after their May 28 bout at Staples Center. Viloria, the WBC’s mandatory challenger, was supposed to face Ortiz on the Lucia Rijker-Christy Martin undercard Saturday in Las Vegas, but that card fell apart when Rijker ruptured an Achilles’ tendon in training. …
Super-welterweight prospect Vanes Martirosyan, a 2004 U.S. Olympian from Glendale, also will fight on the Sept. 10 card at Staples Center. …
Pacquiao returns from the Philippines to begin his training at Wild Card Gym in Hollywood on Monday. Viloria and Martirosyan also train at Wild Card. …
Samuel Peter and Wladimir Klitschko appear to be moving closer to finalizing a deal for a Sept. 24 bout to determine the IBF’s No.1 heavyweight contender. …
Ring light-heavyweight champion Antonio Tarver and former undisputed 175-pound champion Roy Jones Jr. are in negotiations for a third fight, probably on Oct.1 on HBO. …
HBO had been saving Oct.1 for the Jermain Taylor-Bernard Hopkins rematch, but Taylor has a 90-day medical suspension because of the cut on his scalp suffered in the first fight. Taylor’s promoter, Lou DiBella, said December would be the earliest Taylor could get back into the ring. …
Heavyweight Eric “Butterbean” Esch and lightweight Mia St. John have been added to the Aug.9 card at Camp Pendleton on ESPN2. Former IBF lightweight champion Julio Diaz faces Tomas Barrientes in the main event.
FIGHT OF THE WEEK
Rodney Toney (27-4-4, 17 KOs) vs. James Lubwama (16-2-2, 9 KOs), Friday, 6 p.m., ESPN2: This has the makings of a good bout between two veterans. Lubwama has been more active, but Toney has the better skills. Toney pulls out a close one.
