By James Blears
Increasing weight, creating a disparity difficult to gulf, is what’ll probably keep Erik Morales and Marco Antonio Barrera from ever resuming their frighteningly intense battle of pride and willpower in the ring, according to WBC President Jose Sulaiman.
Marco emerged from the thrilling trilogy up 2 fights to 1. But all of the three fights were extremely close and keenly as well as bitterly contested , simmering and then boiling over, with an almost medieval ferocity. And, let’s all also agree…all three bouts were absolutely marvelous.
Erik’s now lined up against Zahir Raheem, in a Lightweight bout. While Marco’s who’s the WBC Super Featherweight Champion is going up against former sparring partner Robbie Peden….yes…the guy who gave him rib fracture in a real ring around a rough house free for all…. Robbie is now the proud IBF title holder. Meanwhile Manny Pacquiao is clashing with Hector Velazquez, also at super featherweight.
Manny, apparently has been cramming his training a bit as of late, but sparring lots and loads of rounds, which gets him sharp and raring to confront, conflict and inflict. While Erik, who’s opponent this time round, is something of a racing snake, has, as always been more methodical. He’s been secluded in an almost hermit like training in the unforgiving breath taking terrain of the rarified Otomi High Altitude Training Center, for almost two months.
Jose Sulaiman says he knows for a fact that Erik is having serious problems in making the Super Featherweight division, and isn’t planning to stick around in boxing too much long either. But Erik is hungrily ambitious to do what no other Mexican fighter has ever done- namely to win a world title in a fourth weight category. Not even the great Julio Cesar Chavez managed to achieve that.
That means that Manny…..with a large enticing purse beaconing …. will be Erik’s last ever fight at Super Feather, before he moves up. That fight’s slated for December or, more likely late January. Manny is no natural lightweight, or ever will be, so realistically this will be his final opportunity to best Morales.
As for Marco Antonio Barrera, ring wise…super featherweight is about as heavy as he’s ever likely to get….even soaking wet.
Don Jose agreed: “Marco is a natural Super Bantam. His biological development is not pushing him up. On the contrary he could still even make the Super Bantamweight division!”
The message is clear. Barring mega bucks which can turn the scales, logic and reality on their head, Marco and Erik won’t fight again. And Manny, has but one brief, slender window of opportunity before Erik climbs higher, and out of reach, to try to keep and complete his appointment with destiny, and make history.
Don Jose speculates that if Jose Luis Castillo re-gains the WBC Lightweight title from Diego Corrales, then he’s likely to move up a division, because he too, is having serious weight problems. That would then leave the Lightweight title vacant…and that’s what could be an all too enticing carrot for Erik.