By James Blears
Like Humpty Dumpty, Erik Morales has had a great fall. And it’s unlikely that all Arum’s, or anyone’s men can put Erik together again.
When I saw Erik a few days ago, the lumps and bumps and swelling had gone down remarkably well. Only a little blood still flecked the whites of his eyes. But he appeared tired, drained and spent.
Polite as ever, and superbly dignified, he quietly confirmed that he was going to have a well deserved rest for six months and then consider what to do next. But now we hear that he’s going to exercise the re-match clause in his contract and fight Manny Pacquiao again sometime in September. But for what purpose?
Erik has been boxing since he was sixteen years old, and has been involved in some veritable prolonged slugfests. These bell to bell brawls have obviously taken their toll. He’s lost three of his last four fights, and although this is the first knockout he’s ever suffered, it was a mauling and a half…and then some.
Erik is a fiercely private man outside the ring, but an incredibly proud man within it. He is definitely not just going through the motions to take a last large payday and conveniently lie down. He sincerely believes that he can defeat Manny Pacquiao and rise like a phoenix from the ashes of comprehensive defeat. The warrior in him will fight, down to the last drop into the tank, but that tank is already running on vapors, rather than high octane fuel.
The warning signs were already there prior to fight one with Manny, for those who knew how to look for them. Erik had separated from his Wife and three children. She is very much opposed to boxing. He’s been dating, and is besotted with model Sandra Mora, who’s a keen boxing fan. Turmoil had been replaced by newly found happiness, but it involved change and disruption.
More significantly, he did not train in the spartan Otomi Altitude Center in the chilly mountains near Toluca, saying it was too cold and misty around Christmas time. That was uncharacteristic, and it cost him dear in the Manny fight stamina wise. As the bout progressed and intensified, his energy level visibly ebbed away and his tiring legs betrayed him. A new trainer to replace Dad, had also gone down like a lead balloon, continuity wise.
Erik is most comfortable with what is familiar, and the change in routine worked badly. Yet he might still revert to requiring the services of maverick yet astute and wily veteran US coach Al Stankie, who has certainly helped him in the past to great effect.
The main problem Erik faces, concerns his weight. Tall and willowy of frame, with very little excess fat, let alone flab, or the life of me, I’ve never been able to understand why he has such appalling problems in fighting a near loosing battle with the scales.
He has previously worked with a dietician, who fed him up far too much after the weigh in for the second Barrera fight, so the residual honey and rice pudding in his system meant that it took him way too much time to get into his stride and prove that he could do more than just knock the skin off one.
He really needs someone, who has a long term meal plan for him, so that his strength, stamina and resistance will not be starved away. That will expose him to another pounding from a hungrier fighter.
Erik definitely needs a tune up fight, before taking on Manny again. Following his Manny mauling, Marco Antonio eased his way back in, by taking on and overwhelming the much smaller Paulie Ayala, which did him a power of good both physically but also mentally. Erik’s also fought Paulie, and it’s this sort of competitive, but lighter hitting opponent he needs. Someone who’s not as soft as Eddie Croft, but who won’t further dent his easy to mark up face.
Erik’s eternal foe Marco Antonio Barrera recovered and indeed prospers following his near disaster at Manny’s hands. Part of boxing’s great appeal is that boxers dare to take on challenges and come back from adversity, which mere mortals shy away from. But Marco hasn’t had as many desperately hard fought wins as Erik and remains a palpably fresher fighter.
Erik doesn’t want to go out a looser, and is determined to try to redeem himself. It’s got far more to do with this than any amount of money.
But for those who know him and like him, calling it a day is definitely not quitting or running away. If he hadn’t been so damned brave, never backing away from a challenge he might well have astutely avoided a second reckoning with Manny. The odds and practical common sense are way against him winning let along coming through a third ordeal- by fire.
Erik’s just too brave for his own good.
