By Jim Dower: Former three division world champion Erik Morales (50-6, 35 KO’s) will be fighting 39-yer-old replacement opponent Francisco Lorenzo (35-8, 16 KO’s) this Saturday night, according to Fightnews.com. Morales, 34, who in his prime fought at featherweight, is now fighting at light welterweight and looks like a shell of his former self.
Recently, he struggled to stop 2nd tier fighter Willie Limond by a 6th round KO to capture the obscure World Boxing Council (WBC) Silver light welterweight title last September.
Morales wants a fight with either Juan Manuel Marquez or Manny Pacquiao. The fight with Marquez could happen if Morales keeps beating the lesser opposition that he’s been getting fed since his comeback in 2010. However, Morales looks nothing like the fighter he once was and doesn’t appear to have world class skills anymore. But he’s good enough still to beat B class fighters. Marquez will no doubt destroy Morales when/if their fight happens.
Morales should beat Lorenzo without any problems. Lorenzo is super featherweight, and has lost four out of his last seven fights to the likes of Humberto Soto, Mlungisi Diamini, Jenifel Vicente and Jorge Linares. If Morales loses to Lorenzo, which is a distinct possibility given how horrible Morales has looked in his last two fights against Limond and Jose Alfaro, it really will be time for Morales to hang up the gloves permanently.
As of now, he would likely stand no chance of beating any of the top 10 contenders in the light welterweight division. Incredibly, the World Boxing Council, has Morales ranked at #2 in the light welterweight division ahead of guys like Victor Ortiz, Danny Garcia and Andriy Kotelnik. That’s pretty much a joke, because Morales would likely get whipped by any of them.
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