Guerrero's Manager: Morales Passed and Took Maidana

By Lem Satterfield

Lightweight Robert Guerrero (28-1-1, 18 knockouts), will meet Australia's Michael Katsidis (27-3, 22 KOs) in an HBO pay per view televised bout on April 9 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on the undercard of a Golden Boy Promotions main event featuring three-division titlist Erik Morales of Mexico and former WBA interim junior welterweight titlist Marcos Rene Maidana of Argentina.

Morales was initially being lined up to face Juan Manuel Marquez. When the Marquez-Morales negotiations failed, however, Morales-Maidana (29-2, 27 KOs) was made instead, but only after Morales refused to face Guerrero, according to Guerrero's manager Bobby Santos.

"What took place was that, obviously, the April 9 date, HBO, and, Golden Boy, they obviously wanted Marquez-Guerrero, but Marquez wanted no part of it," said Santos. "They kept saying, Morales, Morales. And then, they said, 'Well, let's do Morales-Marquez,' but they couldn't come to an agreement. Then they brought up the notion of Morales fighting Guerrero, and, basically, Morales said, 'Let me look at some tape."

"I was told by that Morales said that Guerrero was just 'too young, too fast and too good, and, I think that I have a much better chance at beating Maidana than I do Guerrero, and, I will not fight Guerrero, but I'll fight Maidana. So I just find that it's fascinating that Morales would rather fight a junior welterweight and a former junior welterweight world champion than Guerrero. Golden Boy said directly to me that Morales feels that he has a better opportunity and a better chance at beating Maidana than he does Guerrero."

Lem Satterfield is the boxing editor at AOL FanHouse and the news editor at BoxingScene.com. To read more from Lem Satterfield, go to AOL FanHouse by Clicking Here .