By Michael Marley

Erik “El Terrible” Morales, the last man to defeat Pinoy Idol Manny Pacquiao in the ring, is one of the Doubting Thomases who are highly suspicious about his achievements.

Or should I say Doubting Tomases? Anyway, the Mexican ring icon lines up with all those people last named Mayweather and with Pesky Paulie Malignaggi and all the others who honestly believe that Pacman is a fistic fraud.

I spoke to Morales, who will continue his comeback and have his second bout since a dismal loss to Pacquiao victim David Diaz in Chicago on Sept. 11 in Mexico City, on Tuesday as he appeared at a press conference to hype the PPV show at Red Bulls Arena in Harrison, N.J.

While the 33 year old from Tijuana did speak positively about Pacquiao, who thumped him with KO defeats in their second and third bouts, he said he is among the critics who are confounded as why the Filipino super hero would not agree to completely random drug testing.

“I dont know, I am not familiar with drugs,” Morales said. “But I must ask then why he would object to random testing if he has nothing to hide. If you have nothing to hide, then you agree to take all the tests, all the time.”

What with Tijuana neighbor and old rival Antonio Margarito going before the California State Athletic Commission to get clearance on his boxing license Wednesday, I asked Morales what he thought of Tone Loc's troubles outside the ring.

Morales whistled through his teeth first.

Then he said, “I really have no words for that situation.”

But he couldn't resist taking a verbal jab at “Margocheato.”

“You know I fought him twice in the amateurs and I beat him twice,” Morales said.

Morales was asked to evaluate some of Mexico's rising stars in a time period when no young fighter has yet blossomed to achieve the elevated status of a Julio Cesar Chavez or the prestige and stature that both Morales and Marco Antonio Barrera formerly enjoyed.

“Well, you have Julio Jr., you have Saul (Canela) Alvarez and Edgar Sosa, these guys are coming along well. But I would have to say that, while all of them have good qualities, all of them also have liabilities.”

That pungent remark led to another when I asked Morales what he thought of the long proctected Julio Junior's chance in a pending December test against Puerto Rican veteran Miguel Angel Cotto.

Morales whistled through his teeth again as if to express some skepticism.

“Let's wait,” the fighter who has racked up 49 pro victories said. “Let's wait until and if that fight is actually signed.”

I have not previously been around Morales very much so I cannot say he has always been so expressive with his boxing remarks but I found his honesty quite refreshing.

You may not say Morales tells it like it is but he certainly tells like he thinks it is.

Maybe they broke the mold when they made Morales.

Michael Marley is the national boxing examiner for examiner.com. To read more stories by Michael Marley, Click Here .