Los Angeles, California–
The terror of Tijuana is back in action on Saturday, September 10 from the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California when Erik Morales faces Zahir Raheem in a 12-round super featherweight encounter. Broadcast by HBO the action gets under way at 9:45 PM ET/6:45 PM PT, when Manny Pacquiao faces Hector Velazquez, in another 12-round super featherweight bout.
Former WBC 122, 126 & 130 pound champion Erik “El Terrible” Morales (47-2, 34 KO’s) Tijuana, Mexico. 28-years-old, 5’8″ 130-pounds. Trainer and manager of record Jose Morales. Style: Morales is the complete boxer/puncher. He can stick, move; work behind his jab and score with rapier-like combinations. Or, he can flat out bang. Morales is the best in the sport at picking his spots and deciding when to initiate combat or when to back off and time his assaults. Coming off one of the bigger wins of his career in schooling Pacquiao, Morales is the master of his craft. He’s tough, hard, and smart.
Significant Bouts: Morales is coming off a very impressive victory over legendary Filipino banger Manny Pacquiao, last March in Vegas. By the time it was over Pacquiao’s face had been turned into a crimson mask. And the front of Morales’ pristine white trunks had been transformed into a pinkish hue from Pacquiao’s blood. Size, reach, and style proved to be the difference, as the former WBC world champion Morales pounded out a brutal but close 12-round unanimous decision over the Filipino star Pacquiao. There were no knockdowns but numerous times over the course of the twelve savage rounds both men looked like they might be headed for the canvas. There were no titles on the line; instead it was a battle for pride to determine the best 130-pounder on the planet. An accidental clash of heads followed by two right hands to the face reduced Pacquiao’s right eye to a gory slit and he fought the second half of the bout with blood pouring from the cut that covered half his face. Moving and firing wicked counter right hands, Morales repeatedly nailed Pacquiao with searing shots and piled up enough points to win the super featherweight showdown on all three judges’ scorecards. Pacquiao was relentless and he repeatedly landed wicked combinations but in the end Morales’ titanium chin and searing right hands prevailed. Judge Paul Smith, Dave Moretti and Chuck Giampa all scored the bout 115-113, for the winner Morales.
Prior to the win over Pacquiao, Morales suffered a controversial loss to his nemesis Marco Antonio Barrera in November 2004. The fight was the third in the series with Morales winning the first encounter and Barrera capturing the last two. When the final bell sounded for the third and final time, both men continued throwing punches but the challenger Barrera had pounded out an electrifying twelve-round majority decision over Morales to capture his WBC super featherweight title. Barrera jumped on the champion early and rocked Morales a number of times over the first six rounds, with savage left hooks and whistling uppercuts. Morales finally found the range and rediscovered his rhythm with searing right crosses that tattooed the challenger’s skull in the seventh and eighth. Barrera rallied again in the ninth round and he jolted the champion with hammering left hooks that seemingly insured his second victory in this classic three-part war. However, the last two rounds were fought on guts and guile, as both men hammered away with sickening accuracy and relentless venom. The crowd at the MGM Grand spent much of the 12th, on their feet, as neither man eased up while they continued to pummel each other with wicked right hands, more lethal left hooks and screaming uppercuts. When it was over Barrera looked exhausted and Morales was bleeding from a broken nose and a badly swollen right eye that was nearly closed.
Morales first gained a national audience and the WBC super bantamweight crown by scoring an 11th round KO over Daniel Zaragoza back in September 1997. Morales continued planting opponents and in September 1998, he retained his WBC 122-pound belt by scoring a 4th round TKO over former world champion Junior Jones. In May 1999, Morales registered a 9th round TKO over Juan Carlos Ramirez, five months later he scored a 12 round unanimous decision over Wayne McCullough. Morales went on to score a controversial 12 rd. split decision over Barrera in his first fight back with Marcos Antonio in February 2000. Morales captured the interim WBC featherweight belt by scoring a 7th rd. TKO over Kevin Kelley in September 2000. Morales secured the belt with a 12 rd. UD win over the reigning champ Guty Espadas, in February 2001. Morales suffered the first loss of his career when Barrera outpointed him, in June 2002. Morales got back on the winning track and posted wins over Paulie Ayala (UD 12), Eddie Croft (TKO 3), Fernando Velardez (TKO 5), another victory over Guty Espadas (KO 3), Jesus Chavez (UD 12) and Carlos Alberto Hernandez (UD 12) before the loss to Barrera last November.
Strength: Morales’ style and strength have changed somewhat over the years since he first turned pro back in 1993. However, his greatest attribute remains his resolve and his courage. He will fight and battle with you all the way to the final bell. In his victory over Pacquiao, Morales displayed a great chin and the ability to land with rocket-like counters. In the 3rd and last Barrera encounter, Marcos Antonio dominated the first six rounds but Morales rallied to make it a close fight. His best shot is now his right hand. His jab at times can be best described as workman-like, but he still has a nasty left hook, and an excellent right hand, which he can fire straight and also nail you with over the top. If he gets in close, look for Morales to throw searing uppercuts with either hand. He will use Raheem’s entire body as a target and he isn’t shy about digging into your ribs with either hand. Finally, when Morales establishes his rhythm, he can effortlessly shift his attack down stairs or upstairs depending on the situation. Morales was raised above a gym as a kid growing up in Tijuana and he isn’t short on little tricks to upset his opponent.
Weakness: Morales is a slow starter and a rhythm fighter. The might cause problems if Raheem establishes an early lead and then Morales struggles to catch up. At 28, Morales has been a pro for over 12 years and there is always the possibility of training camp burnout or lack of focus. He knows the big money bout is Pacquiao and not Raheem.
——————————————————————————– Zahir Raheem (26-1, 16 KO’s) Tulsa, Oklahoma. 28-years-old, 5’7″, 133 pounds, trainer of record Miguel Diaz, manager Cameron Dunkin. Style: The former 1996 United States Olympian is a flashy boxer-puncher with quick hands and the ability to unload rocket-like combinations with crisp, clean accuracy. He can move, box, stick and score with sharp counters or control the pace with his jab.
Significant Bouts: Raheem has made a steady if somewhat slow climb in the sport and caught the public’s attention when he captured the NABF featherweight belt, back in March 2002 by scoring a victory over Joe Morales. Boxing, moving, and landing with counter right hands, Raheem easily outclassed Morales to score a 12-round unanimous decision and win the NABA title. Raheem dropped Morales for the first time in his career in the fourth en route to scoring the victory. However, Morales did not go gently into the night. Rather the durable journeyman did everything he could do to turn the bout into a brawl. Kidney punches, elbows, and flying half mares were all part of the frustrated Morales’ resume as he struggled to catch up with the elusive Raheem. Shortly after flooring Morales in the 4th, Raheem caught two elbows to the back of the head that dropped the challenger in the corner. Despite the obvious fouls referee Gary Ritter remained mute. It wasn’t until the tenth round after Morales flipped Raheem to the canvas that he eventually lost a point. Judge Joe Miller scored the contest, 119-107, while Gerald Ritter tallied, 118-108, both for the winner Raheem. In one of the strangest scorecards of the year Judge David Sutherland also gave the nod to Raheem but by an unfathomable margin of, 114-112. In October of 2002, Raheem scored one of the biggest wins of his young career by registering an 8th round TKO over Luisito Espinosa.
Making the move up to junior lightweight division, Raheem suffered a flash knockdown but proved to be too fast for the former bantam and featherweight champion Espinosa and halted him in eight rounds. Starting in the second round, Raheem went after the veteran Espinosa. Making the ex-champ miss, Raheem zipped in and clipped him with a sharp right to the temple. Pursuing the cagey Filipino over to the ropes, Raheem grew greedy and got reckless as he opened up. Countering Raheem with a short compact left hook to the jaw; Espinosa unceremoniously dumped him on the deck. Bouncing right up, Raheem showed no ill effects from the punch but did display more respect for the punching power of the fading former champion. Boxing on the outside, Raheem chose to land accurate shots from long range, while targeting the flattened nose of the old pro Espinosa. Unsuccessfully trying to lure the speedy Raheem over to the ropes, Espinosa was subjected to the fast flurries from the flashy Olympian, as the bout moved into the middle rounds. Occasionally using his own jab, the experienced Espinosa rallied slightly but proceeded to get picked apart by the sharpshooting former amateur star. As the rounds unfolded, Raheem picked up the pace and struck with more conviction, as he unloaded his quicksilver combinations to the head and body of the game ex-champ. Ringing Espinosa’s bell as round six ended with a sharp right to the ear, Raheem forced him against the ropes in the 7th, and drilled the former featherweight kingpin with both hands in a prolonged volley. Walking into punches in the abbreviated 8th, Espinosa simply got chewed up. A searing right-hand crashed into his jaw and Raheem quickly followed up with a leveling left hook and another clubbing right that sent the spent Espinosa slumping towards the canvas. Bravely beating the count on instinct, Espinosa was immediately pounded into a neutral corner as the one-sided action resumed. While Raheem connected with more hammering shots, the referee wisely halted the hiding at 2:02 mark of the 8th round.
Raheem continued to pound out wins after the victory over Espinosa and he followed up with triumphs over Isidro Tejedor (UD 10), Juan Polo Perez (KO 3), Ablorh Sowah (TKO 4), Agustin Lorenzo (KO 1), and Rodney Jones (TKO 1). However, in July 2004, Raheem suffered his first loss when Rocky Juarez defeated him in an IBF elimination title bout via a 12 round unanimous decision. Raheem left Houston, shaking his head and cursing his luck after dropping down in weight and losing a twelve round unanimous decision to the hometown hero Juarez. Raheem felt he was a victim of Texas justice after referee Robert Gonzalez took points away from him on three different occasions for holding behind the head. Infractions not withstanding, Juarez also registered a fourth round knockdown when Raheem took a knee following a stunning left hook. When it was all said and done, Raheem was all ready down four points when they tallied the final ledger. Judge Lee McCowan scored it 115-109, while David Sutherland had it 113-11, and Hugh Echols had it 114-110, all in favor of Juarez. The former Olympian got back on the winning track this past February by scoring a commanding 6th round TKO over Jose Quintana, setting the stage for his showdown with the legendary Morales.
Strength: Raheem is an excellent athlete with very good balance and quick hands. He has won five out of his last six fights by scoring KO’s or TKO’s and while he doesn’t have one-shot knockout ability he throws punches and bunches and can hurt people. He is a classic boxer-puncher that moves well and has a trip hammer right hand. Raheem is also a finisher and if he traps his opponent on the ropes he will do damage.
Weakness: With the exception of Juarez he has never really been inside the ropes with someone of Morales’ talent and reputation. True he halted former WBA bantamweight and WBC featherweight king Espinosa but by the time Raheem scored his victory the ex-titleholder was a spent fighter. You have to wonder if the excitement of facing Morales might drain Raheem before he lands one solid punch.
Prediction: We like Raheem; he is a nice fighter with talent and ability but Morales is a focused and future Hall of Famer. Morales is also a very good businessman and he knows he needs to post another sharp win to sell tickets and PPV buys for his next encounter with Pacquiao. Morales will dominate from the 5th round on and win this baby going away on all three judges’ scorecards.
