By Gerardo Granados: It has not been confirmed yet, but it has been reported that Erik “Terrible” Morales will fight against WBO – WBA World lightweight champion Juan Manuel “Dinamita” Marquez on April 16 at the MGM Grand hotel and casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. The very first word that came to my mind regarding this fight was “mismatch”, then I wonder why would Morales wanted to fight against the best lightweight fighter available.
Now a days it is a trend that prizefighters will avoid dangerous opposition, it is also usual to see that multiple division champions chose the weakest champion of the most recognized alphabet titles to obtain a second or third belt in a different weight division. So why would Erik Morales fight the most dangerous lightweight champion of all?
TALE OF THE TAPE:
Erik “Terrible” Morales: 5´8” height – 72” reach / age 34 / T57-W51(35)-L6(2)-D0 / former WBC – WBO super bantamweight, WBC featherweight and WBC – IBF super featherweight champion.
Notables: 1 Kenny Mitchel (WBO super bantamweight / 3*), 2 Hector Acero Sanchez (WBC super bantamweight / 4*), 3 Daniel Zaragoza (WBC bantamweight, WBC super bantamweight / 22*), 4 Jose Luis Bueno (WBC super flyweight / 5*), 5 Junior Jones (WBA World bantamweight, WBO super bantamweight, IBO featherweight / 9*), 6 Wayne McCullough (WBC bantamweight / 9*), 7 Marco Antonio Barrera (WBO super bantamweight, WBC – IBO featherweight, WBC – IBF super featherweight / 26*), 8 Kevin Kelley (WBC featherweight / 5*), 9 Guty Espadas Jr (WBC featherweight / 4*), 10 In-Jin Chi (WBC featherweight / 7*), 11 Paulie Ayala (WBA World bantamweight, IBO super bantamweight / 8*), 12 Jesus Chavez (WBC super featherweight, IBF lightweight / 5*), 13 Carlos Hernandez (IBF super featherweight /5*), 14 Manny Pacquiao (WBC light middleweight, WBO welterweight, IBO light welterweight, WBC lightweight, WBC super featherweight, The Ring featherweight world champion, IBF super bantamweight, WBC flyweight / 15*), 15 David Diaz (WBC lightweight / 3*) and 16 Jose Alfaro (WBA World lightweight /2*);
Juan Manuel “Dinamita” Marquez: 5´7” height – 67 reach / age 37 / T58-W52(38)-L5(O)-D1 / former WBA World – WBA Super World – IBF featherweight, WBC super featherweight and current WBO – WBA Super World lightweight champion.
Notables: 1 Julio Gervacio (WBA World super bantamweight / 4*), 2 Agapito Sanchez (WBO super bantamweight / 4*), 3 Alfred Kotey (WBO bantaweight / 4*), 4 Freddie Norwood (WBA World featherweight / 8*), 5 Daniel Jimenez (WBO super bantamweight, WBO bantamweight / 10*), 6 Robbie Peden (IBF super featherweight / 2*), 7 Manuel Medina (IBF – WBC – WBO featherweight / 21*), 8 Derrik Gainer (IBO – WBA World featherweight / 8*), 9 Manny Pacquiao (WBC light middleweight, WBO welterweight, IBO light welterweight, WBC lightweight, WBC super featherweight, The Ring featherweight world champion, IBF super bantameight, WBC flyweight / 15*), 10 Orlando Salido (IBF featherweight / 5*), 11 Chris John (WBA World – WBA Super World featherweight / 13*), 12 Marco Antonio Barrera (WBO super bantamweight, WBC – IBO featherweight, WBC – IBF super featherweight / 26*), 13 Joel Casamayor (WBA World super featherweight, WBC lightweight / 9*), 14 Juan Diaz (WBA World – WBA Super World – WBO – IBF – IBO lightweight / 12*) and 15 Floyd Mayweather Jr. (WBC super featherweight, WBC lightweight, WBC light welterweight, IBF – IBO – WBC welterweight, WBC light middleweight / 18*). *title fights.
I guess that Juan Manuel Marquez might have accepted to fight against Erik Morales because: money is right to sign the contract and in theory this fight wont be as hard as his last outing against Australian Michael Katsidis, also this one is a fight that Juan Manuel might win quite easily against a veteran that is no longer in his prime.
Morales goal is to become the first Mexican boxer to conquer titles in four weight divisions, so the obvious reason to fight against Marquez must be that Juan Manuel is a current lightweight champion and also that the money is right to sign the contract. But, why didn’t Morales choose an easier opponent rather than facing a current pound for pound top ten fighter? in the past Erik could have done what other “champions” do and fight for a vacant belt against a non previously division ranked (let say a one minor weight division former champion on decline) in order to accomplish his goal. The experienced WBC lightweight champion Humberto Soto / age 30 / T64-W54(32)-L7(1)-D2, is a great boxer but he might be an easier opponent for Morales than Marquez is, Morales could fight against young IBF lightweight champion Miguel Vazquez / age 23 / T30-W27(12)-L3(0)-D0, who in theory might not represent a high risk as Marquez or Soto; or even fight the young IBO lightweight title holder Australian Leonardo Zappavigna / age 23 / T25-W25(17)-L0-D0, who in theory is the weakest lightweight champion.
I can conclude that Morales must belong to a different boxing era in which fighters would fight against the best fighter available, in a time that real fighters would challenge the real weight division champion to obtain the recognition and respect of boxing fans. This fight between Morales and Marquez can be considered as an example to the young guns on the rise; fight against the best, defeat the best in order to become the best.
After seen the last three outings of Morales, it is obvious that his best days are gone, but as any underdog he still has a chance to win if he trains properly by the time he face Marquez in the ring. It is a shame that this fight took so long to be arranged, if this fight had taken place seven years ago it would have turned in to something special.
I believe the Morales vs. Marquez fight should be arranged to dispute the vacant IBF junior welterweight title at 140 pounds because it is probable that Morales will struggle to make the lightweight limit (135), also that way the winner would become a four division champion and set an historical record for a Mexican fighter, giving fans another reason to buy the fight.
Erik “Terrible” Morales does not has big chances to win against veteran Juan Manuel “Dinamita” Marquez, although he does has big chances to be recognized as a true warrior and to be remembered as a real champion.
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