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Morales: One of Mexico’s greatest
Saturday Night 9PM ET/6PM PT on PPV
Alma Montiel
On a mission to become the first Mexican boxer to capture world titles in four different weight classes, the legendary Erik “Terrible” Morales is only one win shy of his 50th pro career victory, and the last fighter to defeat Manny Pacquiao.
Morales returns Saturday night to face WBU lightweight champion Willie “Hands of Steel” Limond (33-2, 8 KOs), of Scotland, for the vacant WBC Diamond super lightweight championship at the Monumental Plaza de Toros in Mexico City in “Mexican Fiesta” on pay-per-view at 9PM ET/6PM PT.
Induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame figures to be a mere formality for Morales after he retires and becomes eligible, of course. Naturally, he is a national hero in his native Mexico.
One of the most revered Mexican fighters of all-time, Morales’ list of victims over the years reads like a Who’s Who list: Pacquiao, Marco Antonio Barrera, Pauli Ayala, Wayne McCullough, Junior Jones, Carlos Hernandez, Jesus Chavez, Guty Espada, Jr. (twice), Daniel Zaragoza and Kevin Kelly.
Morales is a 5-time world champion: WBC Super Bantamweight Featherweight, Super Featherweight, WBO Super Bantamweight and IBF Junior Lightweight.
Erik started to box at the tender age of five, learning from his father, Jose Morales. An outstanding amateur boxer, Morales had a 108-6 amateur record, including 11 major Mexican titles.
Morales turned pro in 1993 and he won his first 41 pro fights, losing for the first time in 2002 to fellow Mexican boxing icon Barrera, who Erik had beaten two years earlier by 12-round decision.
The highlight of Morales’ career, perhaps, was his 2005 victory against present pound- for-pound champion Pacquiao, by 12-round decision in Las Vegas.
After losing a 2007 12-round decision to David Diaz for the WBC Lightweight Championship, Morales announced his retirement, but he started a comeback this past March, defeating Jose Alfaro by 12-round decision for the WBC International Welterweight Championship.
September 10th, 2010
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