In boxing some things never change. Dan Rafael recycling the same jokes about the W.B.C.?s questionable actions is one. The W.B.C. questionably handing world title belts like bread in a food line in communist Russia is another. The third however is the saddest of the them all. It?s when our boxing idols, with whom we have grown up and shared every high and low fight on too long. We cheered every punch and squirmed at every squirt of blood. It?s hard to watch at times, but let?s be honest ? that?s what we also love about boxing.
This Saturday Erik Morales (51-6) an unquestionable future hall of fame inductee takes on the relentless, reckless and dangerous Marcos Maidana (29-2). For all intents and purposes this fight should not be taking place. Morales, a lifelong campaigner in the lower weight classes will fight Maidana at a career high weight of 140 pounds. Maidana meanwhile is fighting at his natural weight, where of the 29 opponents he has defeated, 27 were dispatched by knockout.
Few are giving Morales a chance of victory, including yours truly. Maidana is a puncher in his prime, the hardest that Morales will have arguably faced in his entire career, while Morales is stepping up to his first meaningful fight since his two year retirement came to and end last year. Not only are some experts claiming that that the fight is a forgone conclusion, but that Morales? health is on the line. ?Too old!? are the cries we so often hear.
But the ?Tijuana Tornado? as Morales is known is not one for backing down. In fact of his six career defeats, only two came by way of knockout. Both at the hands of Manny Pacquiao, a statistic not to be too ashamed of. Just like some of the greats of his Mexican generation, Morales won the hearts of fans not only because he could punch well, but because he could take a punch even better. Eating his opponents punches and spitting out his own ensured that Morales has been a participant in some of the greatest rivalries and in recent memory. His trilogy with Marco Antonio Barrera will live long in the memory, as will his first fight against Manny Pacquiao, where he took punches to give out punches.
On Saturday Erik Morales might not win, but don?t expect this veteran to go down easily. A swinging, carefree Maidana might even be blown away by the ?Tijuana Tornado?. Well, at least swayed. But this can only mean one thing. Boxing fans win.
