By Jhonny Gonzalez
Former three division champion Erik Morales (51-6, 35KOs) is aware that he's in a very dangerous fight when he steps in the ring with one of the most feared junior welterweights, Marcos Maidana (29-2, 27KOs) on April 9 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Those close to Morales have told him that he's crazy for taking the fight. He says the growing concern from close friends and the distant odds are fueling his desire to get the upset.
"They tell me 'you're crazy [for facing Maidana], because he hits really hard.' And I tell them 'don't worry, you're not the one who has to fight him, I'm the one who is going to fight him.' And you will see a great fight. The money presented was attractive [for the fight] but the most important thing is to win this fight," Morales said.
Morales is a somewhat surprised that so many people have him as such a big underdog in the contest.
"I'm not just another person. I'm confident in my abilities. I know what I'm capable of doing and I know what I'm fighting for. I had many years of hard work and when I got to 130-pounds, my body couldn't take it anymore. I had four very tough fights (against Jesus 'Matador' Chavez, Carlos" Famous "Hernandez, the third against Marco Antonio Barrera and the first Manny Pacquiao bout). All of this in less than a year and a half and all of them were twelve round bouts. My body was exhausted for the second [Pacquiao] fight," Morales said.
"Then I went on a break from boxing, and I took everything that I had to take, and I ate everything that I was able to eat; I did everything I wanted to do for two years and then I began to look for ways on how to return to boxing."
