Marcos Maidana Ekes By Erik Morales in Fight of the Year Candidate

I think it's safe to say that nobody saw a Fight of the Year candidate coming, but that's exactly what we got in tonight's "Action Heroes" PPV main event. Marcos Maidana skirted by veteran Erik Morales with a majority decision victory in a great give-and-take battle tonight, winning on scores of 116-112 (twice) and 114-114. Bad Left Hook scored it 115-113 for Maidana.

I also think it's safe to say that Erik Morales stole the show tonight in Las Vegas on an eventful card. We saw James Kirkland stopped in 1:52. We saw Robert Guerrero dominate Michael Katsidis. We saw Paulie Malignaggi win with style. We saw Marcos Maidana win a great brawl.

But it was the aged, faded Morales, fighting four divisions above his best weight, who was the night's greatest winner. If for only one night, "El Terrible" turned back the hands of time and traded bombs with the Argentinean slugger, surviving all 12 rounds and giving Maidana everything he could handle. Both fighters got hurt, both fighters came back. Both fighters left it all on the table. And Morales shocked the world simply by fighting close.

I could analyze more, but how? And why? See the fight. Judge for yourself. But Erik Morales reminded us of why he became Erik Morales in the first place, in the fight that should not have given us that image, that legendary, timeless warrior. He was a better fighter than Maidana, but Maidana's youth was the difference.

To put this in perspective: Morales' right eye was swollen shut in the first round. He fought this whole fight one-eyed. And Maidana could never get him to go away. After the fight, Morales said he wanted a rematch. He said he would fight Maidana tomorrow.

He is Erik Morales. He is "El Terrible." And he reminded us all of that tonight, even in a loss.

What a fight.