Great simply doesn't explain this small Mexican gent (Erik Morales)

Member Name: iamasadlittleboy

Product:	Erik Morales
Date:	09/04/08 (50 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: KO power, speed

Disadvantages: Not the cutest of boxers, didn't win at a 3rd weight

A post career synopsis of el terrible now his los with Davd Diaz has all but finished him off, the Great (and I don't use that word wildly when it comes to boxers) El Terrible needs to be given one of these reviews that I've done for a few others.

Born Erik Isaac Morales Elvira on September 1 1976 in his beloved Tijuana (Mexico), is probably most famed for his trilogies against hated domestic rival the "Baby Faced Assassain" Marco Antonio Barrera and modern day Phillipino legend Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao. But with his career starting way back in 1993 these more memorable and well known of fights were a long way from the 16 year old pro that once was, Erik Morales.

Starting his career at Super Bantamweight (122 lb's max) with a win in his home town against a fellow debutant (Jose Orejel) with a knock out in the second. Orejel's career from this point went the exact opposite of Morales' and he retired with an unhealthy ledge of 1-10-1 only finishing 3 fights.

After this easy win Morales moved onto similar level of fighters, fighting 6 more times before the end of the year and celebrating christmas '93 with 7-0 (6 KO's). To strt 1994 he fought 2 more fighters of a similar inexperience before facing Julio Cesar Cardona who's record was rather more spectacular at 20-7-0. He lasted a mere 2 rounds, and Morale went back to beating tomatoe cans that would give him 2 rounds or so of a glorified spar before finishing the year with a fight against Pepillo Valdez (44-9-1) for the WBC Mundo Hispano Super Bantamweight Title.
Despite Valdez's record his chin was to be his downfall, as he fell down to Morales superiour power in the 3rd.
So at the end of 1994 Morales was 13-0 (11 ko's) and beginning to make a rather large name for himself as a tough punching young hot start.

Despite this he opened 1995 with a defence against Ricky Henandez who's entire career lasted less than a round, retiring straight after the fight with Erik. Though shotly following this in April came Morales second title the Mexican super bantamweight title with a 3rd KO of Enrique Jupiter (who went into the fight (27-5-1)).
To make a trio of titles Moraes took the NABF super bantamweight title in a fight against Juan Luis Torres (0-1-0)*, who managed to take Erik the full 12 but lost by Unanimous Decision (UD).

Fast forwarding just over 2 years and 10 fights we find Erik Morales 26-0 (20 KO's) facing off against the WBC super bantamweight champion Daniel Zaragoza who was 55-7-3 with 28 KO wins. Zaragoza had taken the title from the hands of our own little dyanmo the "Pocket Rocket" Wayne McCullough about 8 months earlier. Morales stopped him in the 11th whilt ahead on 2 of the three score cards, to secure his first world title.

With the title in hand he went on a string of defenses with notable names including Junior Jones (not to be confused with Roy JonesJunior) who lasted less than 4; Wayne McCullough (who went 12, the first time anyone had done that in almost 3 years; and the first of the battles with Marco Antonio Barrera in aWBC-WBO unification fight, which Morales won via split decision (SD).

After feeling the job was done at 122 he moved upto featherweight (126) where he wold knock out Kevin Kelly in the 7th to claim in the interim WBC featherweight title. Now for those asking whats an interim champion, well it's mainly a way to generate more sanctioning fees as sanctioning body's are greedy selfish bastards, but it's also a title to say "if our champion doesn't fight you in x time peroid...you become out champion yay". It only took 2 more fights before he got elevated to full champion with a UD win over Guty Espadas Jr. A UD defense over the tough and durable Injin Chi followed before the first rematch with the Baby Faced assasain.

Barrera was now 54-3-0 without a title to his name (barring the lightly regarded IBO strap he'd won over a year previously against "Prince" Naseem Hamed). The fight went the opposite way with the judges prefering Barrera Ud by 4 points on one card and on the other two.

Morales' immedaitely got a fight fo his old title that had become vacant (I'm not sure on the polotics behind this sorry), against Paulie Ayala. Paulie went the distance but was pretty clearly outclassed by Morale's who then went on to defend the title against:
Carlos Hernandez (best known for being the firs fight to put Floyd Mayweather jnr on the deck)**
Jesus Chavez (Outclassed throught in an entertaining fight)
Guty Espadas Jr (Who lasted a mere 3 rounds in their rematch)

Then came Barrera-Morales III argueably the best of the encounters with the scores tied at 1 fight a piece and real needle developing between the two living legends, thee was known bad blood. Though argueably even more so after it in a fight that one judge had a draw, the other two scored for Barerra, in a loss that signalled the start of the end of Morales who before this fight was 47-1 with 34 wins by KO and had never been stopped.

Now at 47-2 he decided to face th highly hyped Buzzsaw Manny Pacquiao who had just fought two other Mexican greats (KO'ing Barrera in 11 and drawing with Juan Manuel Marquez, despite 3 first round knockdowns). Manny was coming into the fight with a decent record of 39-2-2, but this didn't prevent Morales from wnning a close, but well fought contest, with argueably the greatest round 12 in boxing history. With Morales ahead on the scorecards, his father and trainer had told him to "box" the last 3 mins and stay out of danger, being the macho-man that Morales was, he comes out southpaw*** and goes toe-to-toe with Pacquiao for the final 3 mins.

Next came the first major upset, and perhaps the first sign the wars had caught up with Erik as he lost to Zahir Raheem on points for an international lightweight (135lb's) title. A rematch with Pacman was arranged and to be fought under130, this weight loss could well have been the reason for the outcome, as could Morales age and battle wearyness, but regardless of the reasons Manny tied it 1-1 with a 10th round stoppage. The first time Morales had been stopped after being decked twice late in the round.

A rubber match with Manny was in order 10 months later, this one lasting less than the previous one with Erik lasting just mid way into the third. Many thought he'd retire there and then but instead to fight 1 final fight, the one alluded to at the very start of this "synopsis".

For a title in a third weight category Morales was to take on David Diaz at 135 (Diaz at the time, and stil is, a popular name at lightweight, with Juan, Julio and David all fighting at the top level in the same division). Despite many watching at home and in attendence veiwing it as an easy goodbye win for Erik, the judges saw the outcome as a win for Diaz, with that El Terrible bid us farewell with a record of:
48-6 with 34 by KO and 2 losses by KO (both to Pacquiao) with 5 of his 6 losses coming in his last 6 fights.

Some may view him as a shoe-in for Canastota (Itnernational Boxing Hall Of Fame-IBHOF) although others will point out he lost his most important matches (2nd and 3rd fights with Pacquiao and Barrera). Other will also question why he stayed active when he was visibly on the slide. Although what will always be remember of El Terrible is his heart, and his ability to give the crowd what they wanted.

*I'm assuming the tite was vacant
**Admittedly it was due to Mayweather having a broken hand that this occured.
***A fighter who has a right hand lead, a "lefty" so to speak.

Summary: A great modern day Mexican legend