By Dan Ambrose: Former three division world champion Erik Morales (51-6, 35 KO’s) would appear to have almost no chance at beating Marcos Maidana (29-2, 27 KO’s) when they fight for the vacant WBA light welterweight title on April 9th at the MGM grand, in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The World Boxing Association title, which was previously in the possession of Amir Khan up until recently, has become vacant after the WBA promoted – or whatever you want to call it – Khan to the position of WBA “Super World” light welterweight champion. Morales thus gets a shot at a 4th world title and Maidana, a very popular fighter among today’s boxing fans, will get the opportunity to again fight for the WBA title. Maidana was beaten by a close 12 round decision by Khan in December in one of the most exciting fights of the year.
Confidence is very important. However, Morales’ confidence isn’t going to likely help him much against Maidana. Morales is giving up way too much power and size to beat a guy like Maidana. Morales isn’t fast at light welterweight like he was at featherweight, and he has no power at this weight class. Sure, Morales was able to take out the B level fighter Willie Limond with some body shots in a 6th round stoppage last year, but he has no power to hurt a fighter like Maidana or slow him down any. This is probably going to end badly for Morales. Even Khan’s trainer Freddie Roach is worried about the beating that Morales is going to take in this fight. Roach should know, because his fighter Khan just got the stuffing beaten out of him by Maidana and was lucky to escape with a win.
Morales hasn’t done much since coming back after a three-year retirement, and faced three beatable fighters in Jose Alfaro, Willie Limond and Franciso Lorenzo. Morales hasn’t looked in any of those fights, and is incredibly lucky that he wasn’t beaten in two of them by Lorenzo and Alfaro, because Morales didn’t look like a winner in those fights.
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