By Peter Lim
Two years and five fights into his comeback, future Hall-of-Famer Erik Morales, 52-7 (36 KOs), is opting to use his wealth of experience to teach the young bucks a thing or two about blood-and-guts warfare. In April, with one eye swollen shut, he wobbled ultimate tough guy Marcos Maidana, 31-2 (28 KOs), and gave the 28-year-old Argentine fits before losing a close majority decision.
Morales, 35, subsequently bullied and busted up previously-undefeated 22-year-old Pablo Cesar Cruz, 22-1-1 (17 KOs), stopping him in the 10th round for a vacant 140-pound world title, his fourth in as many weight divisions. For his first defense, he has signed to take on 23-year-old Danny Garcia, 22-0 (14 KOs), in Houston on January 28.
“They all say I’m past my prime and I’m getting old,” Morales said at a Dec. 15 press conference in Houston. “But I feel good. I feel young. Since my comeback, I’ve fought five fights and I’m enjoying each fight more.”
But that doesn't mean that Morales' fellow legends are off his radar. He would relish a fourth encounter with Manny Pacquiao, but would rather earn that privilege by accruing more victories rather than be awarded the fight solely on the distinction that he was the last man to defeat the Filipino phenom.
"It is my dream fight," Morales told The Houston Chronicle through Golden Boy translator Ramiro Gonzalez. "But let's wait. Let's motivate the fans first. Let's wait for people to say, 'we want a fourth fight between Morales and Pacquiao.'"
A showdown with Juan Manuel Marquez had always been a mouth-watering matchup when the Mexican trio of Morales, Marquez and Marco Antonio Barrera were among the top of the 126- and 130-pounders at the dawn of the millennium. Should Morales get past Garcia, a better-late-than-never clash between the two could still conceivably sell out the largest soccer stadiums south of the border.
"The only reason that fight has not been made is because he doesn't want it," Morales said.