Erik Morales looking to return in March
by Scott Christ on Jan 16, 2010 1:53 AM EST
in Boxing News Analysis
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Rumors continue to come in about a ring return for Erik Morales, and today BoxingScene.com says that Jose Alfaro is the new target opponent. The fight would be in March.
Morales turned 33 in September, so age on the surface is not a major issue. But there are some serious problems with any possible Morales return, said to be coming at lightweight, with some talk of him even fighting at 140 pounds
- Morales has not won a fight since he beat Manny Pacquiao on March 19, 2005. That was almost five years ago. Five years.
- In his final fight against David Diaz in August 2007, Morales reported "buzzing" in his head when he was punched. Bob Arum refused to have anything to do with any future Morales fights when "El Terrible" told him that.
- He's a very old 33. He's had a LOT of very savage, very physical fights. Morales has taken a ton of punishment in his career.
- He's not a lightweight, and he's certainly not a junior welterweight. But he can't make weights below 135 anymore. Simply put, Morales won't be competitive.
- Think about it this way. The guy that started his current losing streak (Zahir Raheem) hasn't fought in a year and a half.
I don't know if he needs the money or what, or if it's just a fighter's desire to get back out there and win some fights. He's lost four in a row. There are folks saying Ricky Hatton is a shot fighter, but I think that's something yet to be proven. I have no doubts that Morales is a shot fighter, and I also have no doubt that Morales will bravely/stupidly go out on his shield in any fight he's going to lose. He's a pure warrior, one of the best blood-and-guts fighters of his generation, and an all-time great fighter in the 122-pound division. He also had a lot of success at 126 and 130.
But he hit the wall. There is no more to prove, and there's really no good ending. He's been out of the ring for over two years now and I've yet to see anyone say it's a good idea at all for him to get back into boxing.
I'm a huge Erik Morales fan, so that might play into it. But I don't want to see anyone get hurt. I've never been a big fan of, say, Joan Guzman, but if he were in a similar position I'd hope he didn't fight anymore either. The only thing Morales is going to get in a ring return is hurt.
And I really don't think he can even beat Jose Alfaro (23-5, 20 KO). With Alfaro's KO rate, I think the obvious ending is Morales stopped inside the distance for the third time in his storied career. On paper, that fight looks a lot like the 2008 summer bout between Sebastian Lujan and a faded, overweight Jose Luis Castillo.
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I’ll admit I’m a little bias towards Morales. And on paper it looks like a terrible idea. Morales has lost 4 in row. But some times you need to take a look at the actual fights and not just the results. I had Morales beating David Diaz. But Diaz was given a disgraceful hometown decision. Now I’m not saying Morales is still an elite fighter. Cuz he’s not. Those days are long gone. But to say he’ll get run over by Jose Alfaro is ridiculous. Again we can’t just look at results. At first glance Alfaro’s KO% looks nice. But a closer look reveals more padding on his record than a 12 year old girls bra. The man has pretty much loss every time he stepped up. Even a minor step up. Yes I’m aware Morales has taken considerable punishment in his career. But I think the time off did him some good. Morales from what I read and hear took care of his money. So he’s not doing it for financial reasons. He’s doing it cuz it’s what he was born to do. He will never be the Morales of old. But he’s still capable of beating the Alfaro’s of the world.
If a man ain't found something worth dying for. He ain't fit to live.
But Diaz was given a disgraceful hometown decision.
Huge overstatement. It was a close fight.
But to say he’ll get run over by Jose Alfaro is ridiculous.
It probably sounded ridiculous that Jose Luis Castillo would get run over by Sebastian Lujan, too. I also didn’t really say Alfaro would run him over, just that I don’t think old, shot, rusty, way-over-prime-weight Morales is a very good bet to beat a guy that can punch a little.
At first glance Alfaro’s KO% looks nice. But a closer look reveals more padding on his record than a 12 year old girls bra. The man has pretty much loss every time he stepped up.
I never said Alfaro was very good.
But I think the time off did him some good.
The last time he fought he told his promoter he could hear buzzing in his head when he was punched. I doubt the two years have changed the fact that he’s taken a truckload of punishment in his career.
Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."
by Scott Christ on Jan 16, 2010 7:12 PM EST up reply actions
1, Morales deserved the win
2, The fact that Lujan had been a Welter most of his career and had fought as high as Junior Middle it really wasn’t that hard to figure out. No doubt Morales is way past his best weight. And he’s clearly not a natural Lightweight. But with any justice he should be 1-0 at the weight.
3, No you just said he’ll beat Morales based on his KO% rate
4, The accumulation of punches he received from his 2 previous fight with Pacquiao might of had a lingering affect. They were still pretty recent
If a man ain't found something worth dying for. He ain't fit to live.
by Violent Demise on Jan 16, 2010 8:45 PM EST up reply actions
1. Morales might have deserved the win. This is not Casamayor-Santa Cruz you’re talking about.
2. You think Castillo as a welter is much different than Morales as a lightweight?
3. Yeah, probably. Morales isn’t very good. He struggled with David Diaz, who is not particularly good.
4. I doubt the previous two fights with Pacquiao (one of which went three rounds) was the sole issue.
Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."
by Scott Christ on Jan 17, 2010 12:32 AM EST up reply actions
1, I had him winning by 2 points
2, Castillo is about 5 years older than Morales. Not to mention he has about 20 fights more mileage on him. So yeah I do think there’s some what of a difference.
3, Diaz ain’t very good. Your right on that. But he’s better than Alfaro
4, Maybe. Maybe not. We not doctors.
If a man ain't found something worth dying for. He ain't fit to live.
by Violent Demise on Jan 17, 2010 4:43 PM EST up reply actions
All fair points. I hope we don’t find out if either of us are right, really.
Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."
by Scott Christ on Jan 17, 2010 8:13 PM EST up reply actions
I am an unbashed Morales fan, but like you said he is the type of fighter that will literally put his life on the line to finish the fight.
It isn’t the year, it is the mileage. He is a proud warrior and form what I am told he is pretty well off. He donates his salary back to the community in TJ running like a sports programs and gyms. So he just wants to end his career on a good note, and isn’t in it for the money. I just think he has already accomplished way too much and taken too many punches that I worry about his long term health.
"Boxing is dirty," said Casamayor. " The day I’m not ready to be a dirty fighter is the day I don’t fight anymore because it will mean that I have no heart for it anymore."
"There is no more to prove, and there's really no good ending"
This statement about sums it all up—no better way to put it! I’ve always enjoyed following EM’s career. He is a first ballot HOF’er, and the only thing he’d be doing by continuing his career is delaying the great day where he is enshrined at the HOF.
by The Pinoy Pikey on Jan 16, 2010 4:36 PM EST reply actions
That is a nice picture if not sad picture.
"Boxing is dirty," said Casamayor. " The day I’m not ready to be a dirty fighter is the day I don’t fight anymore because it will mean that I have no heart for it anymore."
Morales nodding it off, knowing he was done, kind of broke my heart.
Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."
by Scott Christ on Jan 17, 2010 12:32 AM EST up reply actions
It’s over.
"If you sit there and watch a person take about an hour to tie his shoestrings, then you realize that whatever problems you got ain't that significant"
---Vernon Forrest 2006
by The Midnight Rambler on Jan 20, 2010 5:05 PM EST reply actions
..
i want this guy to return to the rings. what do the promoters have to loose ?? time ? they plenty of it.. morales has alot left in him .the only guy known to beat paquiao fair and square. with 2 years of rest and who know how much training he’s got . he should get the fight with marquez or mayweather. the best fighters out there
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