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Erik Morales: At my peak, I was completely superior to Manny Pacquiao

Only Mexican icon Erik Morales has battled 25 rounds with Manny Pacquiao. including a 2005 victory
Only Mexican icon Erik Morales has battled 25 rounds with Manny Pacquiao. including a 2005 victory
Photo credit: 
Pacland

HARRISON, N.J.--There are too many fighters (hello, Andre Berto) who open mouth, insert foot.

Mexican boxing icon Erik Morales, embarking on the second leg of what he says is a six bouts only comeback trail, is not of them.

He was a thinking man’s fighter, able to box or to brawl, in running up his 49-6, 34 knockouts Hall Of Fame record, including world titles in three divisions. It was because of his versatility that he is able to claim to being the last man to beat Pinoy Idol Manny Pacquiao (you could look it up, it happened on March 19, 2005).

I spoke to the still fresh-faced but now age 33 Morales Tuesday afternoon at the nifty, new Red Bulls soccer stadium, in view of downtown Newark and in the flight path of Newark Airport.

Morales was making a rare East Coast visit to pump his Sept. 11 Mexico City “Mexican Fiesta” main event at the historic La Plaze Monumental (bull ring) in the capital.

Promoters, including old friend and Jorge Paez “inventor” Nacho Huizar, have wisely handpicked lighthitting Scotsman Willie Limond (laughingly known as “Fists Of Steel” although he did floor Amir Khan) as Morales designated victim.

Besides Pacman, Morales also owns victories over such luminaries as great rival Marco Antonio Barrera, Paulie Ayala, Wayne McCullough, Junior Jones, Carlos Hernandez, Guty Espada Jr. (twice), Daniel Zaragoza and Kevin Kelly.

Morales answered every question put to him by myself and other scribes in a thoughtful, engaged manner and he seemed to take some witty jabs at various ring stars along the way.

So here’s “El Terrible” Unplugged:

On MANNY PACQUIAO:

“I would like to fight him again but I am not obsessed with him. I am working to get back to the top, back where I was before, to be top of the plateau. I have a six fight plan and this is my second one.

“I will say Manny is a great fighter but I look back and he would give me any weight allowance in our second and third bouts when they knew I couldn’t make 130 pounds. Pacquiao demanded weight penalties of $500,000 for each pound.

(For the record, Morales made 129 ½ pounds for his UD 12 over Pacman and then really strained to make 128 ½ for his TKO by 10 loss and 129 ½ when he got waxed in three rounds.)

"But, when I was right and when I was at proper weight in the first fight (he got stopped in 10 rounds and then in three in their second and third bouts) I showed who the better fighter was then.

“I was the superior fighter and I had the edge in speed and in skills and I beat him in every department.”

Btw, all three judges favored Morales 115-113 in that bout.

I can only view the use by Morales of the term “obsession” as a sly dig at his countryman and bitter loser to Pacquiao, Juan Manuel Marquez.

MORE TO COME FROM MEXICAN ICON ERIK MORALES ON PACQUIAO, ON BARRERA, ON JC CHAVEZ JR. AND ANOTHER PACMAN MEXICAN FOE, JUAN MANUEL MARQUEZ.


(mlcmarley@aol.com)

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, Boxing Examiner

Michael is a former sports columnist at the New York Post. He is an attorney and worked for sports legends Howard Cosell and Don King. Marley also operates BoxingConfidential.com. Email him your thoughts.

Comments

  • marco 1 year ago

    Loser.hahaha

  • El Floyd-our hero 1 year ago

    Always rain fire on them , coz they are liars-Pinoys-

  • nodz 1 year ago

    how about figthing Pacquiao at his prime?eric may not even survive round 1

  • Anonymous 1 year ago

    yes

  • Dynamite Bobet 1 year ago

    Eric, you are a nice fellow, it would hurt me badly to watch my former idol to be crucified by The Pacman Express one more time. I suggest you re-think your priorites in your boxing career.

  • Anonymous 1 year ago

    Manny's still looking for weight advantages and asking for million dollar penalties to this very day.

  • REALINO 1 year ago

    The way you say comment, it's obvious your TWO THINGS: 1) A pacman hater; and 2) doesn't have enough knowledge on boxing itself.

    Those times, both fighters are fighting at 130lbs, superfeatherweight. Even morales, agreed to fight with that weight, because he beat manny the first time at 130lbs limit. It's just funny how he makes excuse as if Manny forced him to fight at 130, he agreed in it in the first place!

    Asking for penalties is just "normal" for security that the other party will obey the contract or agreement. Nothing wrong with that.

  • Anonymous 1 year ago

    What ever you say mr expert!

  • Lanski 1 year ago

    SHAKE THAT THING OFF YOUR SYSTEM, BRO..THATS A CONTAGIOUS DISEASE WHAT WE CALL " ENVY ". BASE YOUR COMMENT BY THE FACT AND THE RULES GOVERNED BY BOXING AUTORITIES. NOT BY FICTIONS OR HALLUCINATIONS, IF THEY LOST A FIGHT WITH PACMAN THEY SHOULD SHUT THE "F" DOWN, COZ THE THING IS..THEY REALLY LOST TO THE BEST P4P KING OF THE UNIVERSE NO OTHER THAN THE GREAT PACMAN. ACCEPT THE TRUTH AND IT WILL FREE YOU.

  • Anonymous 1 year ago

    he fought with courage.....and knows he owns pacman on that first fight not like his countryman Marquez....still thinks he won....close but not close enough

  • Anonymous 1 year ago

    Of course Morales is great but he found his match on Pacquiao and that's it, he's a loser twice. Morales should understand that no one could turn back the hand of time, therefore he met Pacquiao at the right time and there's should be no excuses. It's like saying will Morales beat Arguello? It cannot happen because they are on different time frame. Only idiots are comparing figthers of yesteryears to fighters today!

  • Anonymous 1 year ago

    weight penalty is impose so that no one will come in over weight and cheating. no matter if its a million dollars per pound penalty its FAIR! so no one will come in over weight cheating his way to win.
    so what morales is saying, is that he wants to come in over the 130 lbs limit so he can win, right? heres the record of thier weight:

    1st fight = morales 130, pacquiao 129
    2nd fight = morales 130, pacquiao 128
    3rd fight = morales 129, pacquiao 129

    pacquiao was the one comming up to this weight division, the 130 area is morales home turf, he has no excuse saying he wasnt in his proper weight level, everyone seems to have an excuse when they lose. Hatton's excuse is that he over trained how lame, dela hoya was the one who asked to fight pacquiao, so its his fault for asking a fight with a smaller man.

  • Anonymous 1 year ago

    hahaha! even the first fight you lose, it's just happen that........pacquiao said........he used the wrong gloves am i rigth?

  • Anonymous 1 year ago

    pacman has handicaps in their first fight...blooddrained,wrong glovesand a cut due to a headbut which made pacman fight with only one eye..and yet morales failed to knock him out or even KD pacman,morales almost KD and got wobbled by pacman...minus even one of the handicaps, do you think he can defeat the Pacman...????i dont thionk so..

  • Anonymous 1 year ago

    pac lose the first fight because he used the wrong gloves.

  • Anonymous 1 year ago

    Pacquiao lost because they drained his blood twice before the fight.

  • Anonymous 1 year ago

    Pacquiao lost because they drained his blood twice before the fight.

  • jackbw9 1 year ago

    Yes he was. Morales was a great fighter. Too bad Eric's peak physical prime and weight didn't quite meet Manny's at the right spot. Morales was fading out of his prime and Manny was just beginning to hit his prime years. Turns out Manny's prime weight is around 140-147. So any fight between these two would not be prime-for-prime. It does show how great Morales was even close to the end of his career.

  • HOOAH 1 year ago

    He could be right that he was better than Manny when he was at his peak (and thats a big COULD BE). But, we need to remember that during Eric's peak, Manny wasn't at his peak yet.

  • dindo 1 year ago

    LOSER

  • Anonymous 1 year ago

    Shut up! Morales! your a big idoit... Pacman defeated to you twice in a knockout!!! Geeezz!!!

  • virgo 1 year ago

    There are people who can't really accept reality that there is always somebody better than you are. Morales should be humble enough to accept that after his win to Pacquiao he lost twice because Pacquiao on that moment have already greatly improved his fighting style and in more perfect condition than he is.

  • Edlabs 1 year ago

    FU Morales! Manny even beat you when he's not in his prime yet. How much more when Manny is on his peak now?Do the Math please! It goes to show that you are a frustrated boxer! Go get a life burito!

  • Anonymous 1 year ago

    Get over it Erik.

  • gt600 1 year ago

    hey youre right morales made weight the defeated manny in thier first bout,and the 2nd and 3rd morales got blown away still he made weight.now thats a poor excuse that he was drain the truth is manny improve immensly thats why morales got clipped not because of the weight.he fought at 140 but he lost

  • bbtroy 1 year ago

    Times indeed change Erik. Whether you like it or not, yours is gone. You were among the best in your prime. Accepted! But you did'nt fight the best of Pacqiuao when you met him 3 times. Pacquiao is still better between the prime Morales vs the prime Pacquiao. But personally, you are way better than Marquez!

  • bbtroy 1 year ago

    Times indeed change Erik. Whether you like it or not, yours is gone. You were among the best in your prime. Accepted! But you did'nt fight the best of Pacqiuao when you met him 3 times. Pacquiao is still better between the prime Morales vs the prime Pacquiao. But personally, you are way better than Marquez!

  • They never put something 2geter 1 year ago

    Pilipinos never put something 2geter they just participate and talk LOTS of mememememememe. Been their way from time memorial. Not blessed with looks,but they do the artificila. This you can figure out after you spend a few seconds with them, they want to sell you their lack of.

  • Anonymous 1 year ago

    What a loser. Pac was even a one-hand fighter when he fought Morales.

  • naktete 1 year ago

    c'mon, you;re just making noise... bcoz you have upcoming fights. make your own promotion, and don't ride along with Manny. I know you were a good person with Manny back then. ( SNB , ibang may pinagsamahan... ^_^ )
    try to remember also, that time Manny had a bad cut, but he stayed in the game fighting (even caught you in the 12th round) , you even don't had a chance to knockdown Manny at that state. and blood test that time weakened Manny, lastly.... Manny is not on his peak yet.
    Now convince me Morales..... how come you're superior than Manny at your peak ????

  • skreech 1 year ago

    you have to ask for weight penalty superfeather weaight is superfeather weight erik might come in above 130

  • Anonymous 1 year ago

    c'mon, you;re just making noise... bcoz you have upcoming fights. make your own promotion, and don't ride along with Manny. I know you were a good person with Manny back then. ( SNB , ibang may pinagsamahan... ^_^ )
    try to remember also, that time Manny had a bad cut, but he stayed in the game fighting (even caught you in the 12th round) , you even don't had a chance to knockdown Manny at that state. and blood test that time weakened Manny, lastly.... Manny is not on his peak yet.
    Now convince me Morales..... how come you're superior than Manny at your peak ????

  • Anonymous 1 year ago

    c'mon, you;re just making noise... bcoz you have upcoming fights. make your own promotion, and don't ride along with Manny. I know you were a good person with Manny back then. ( SNB , ibang may pinagsamahan... ^_^ )
    try to remember also, that time Manny had a bad cut, but he stayed in the game fighting (even caught you in the 12th round) , you even don't had a chance to knockdown Manny at that state. and blood test that time weakened Manny, lastly.... Manny is not on his peak yet.
    Now convince me Morales..... how come you're superior than Manny at your peak ????

  • Anonymous 1 year ago

    c'mon, you;re just making noise... bcoz you have upcoming fights. make your own promotion, and don't ride along with Manny. I know you were a good person with Manny back then. ( SNB , ibang may pinagsamahan... ^_^ )
    try to remember also, that time Manny had a bad cut, but he stayed in the game fighting (even caught you in the 12th round) , you even don't had a chance to knockdown Manny at that state. and blood test that time weakened Manny, lastly.... Manny is not on his peak yet.
    Now convince me Morales..... how come you're superior than Manny at your peak ????

  • Anonymous 1 year ago

    in the 1st fight pacquiao was blood drained coz of that random blood testing a few hours b4 the fight of which mayweather also wants to happen, tricky...

  • enrico 1 year ago

    a prime morales and a prime pacquiao??? at any given weight, who do you think will win.. stop whining

  • Anonymous 1 year ago

    i can still hear him say wearily, as he got decked again the third time in his last attempt against pacquiao...no mas....no mas...

  • Max Tor 1 year ago

    You know very well that you lose ! 2-1 , if you are the 2 x winner and not Pacquiao then you are correct,but you're not. Tsk Tsk

  • Black_Cobra 1 year ago

    so, morales, it was because of the weight? and how did you fare against david diaz? you struggled with the weight also? :-D

  • Anonymous 1 year ago

    test

  • Anonymous 1 year ago

    test

  • jun 1 year ago

    hahahahahahaha....i love to tell stories about d PACMAN to my grand childrens someday.

  • Anonymous 1 year ago

    Morales! 2nd and 3rd Fight, you are in your prime but pacman put in the canvas. Why can't you just accept that you loose. So your 1st fight, judges scored 115 - 113 in you favor.. Come on! That is just 2 points ahead of pacman and it just mean that you didn't totally dominated the fight. Just retire and be at peace bro!

  • davepinoy 1 year ago

    Give the man a break...he's hallucinating..

    Everyone has his own defense mechanism...problem is there are many who cannot distinguish between reality and their rationalization....Its only those who can put themselves outside of their person who really can think straight....besides this is just probably morales' way of hyping his fight...There's no other marketing ploy than to mention Manny in one's career nowadays...
    last time i check there was somebody claiming he is the greatest...even better than Ali and Sugar Ray Robinson...but could not have the guts to fight Manny in the ring....All he does is mention Manny in his last fights....Now i think he's retiring for good rather face the FIGHTER OF THE DECADE.....gutless but full of braggadoccio...

  • Anonymous 1 year ago

    Hellow Morales you are just making hype to be able to be get attention by PACMAN. Nevertheless remember before you've retired you said that you will climbed at 135 because you are no longer comfortable at 130lbs? But what happened? when you fought David Diaz? you defeated again? What a shame for 2 times you were kissed the canvas until know you didn't stop calling Pacman? By the way if ever you will be given a chance? who will be the viewer? You better fight Marquez but no more Pacquiao. Enough is enough you are such a loser. You better regain your loss to Diaz before an ambition of fighting Manny. What a shame on you. You are same with FMJ coward lose more on trash talks, lots of excuses. Manny is very far from now. You better cal Barrera again. To regain you defeat & not Manny it's a mismatch.

  • Jed Marcial Mollaneda 1 year ago

    If you were superior to Pacquiao in your peak, why didn't you become 7th weight division champion. You have been struggling to get your 4th weight title and you will still be at the end of your career. Bitter loser!

  • hermano 1 year ago

    you won the first fight coz you wont let pacquaio used his own gloves and you want size 10 gloves. no more excuses, you have two chances and you blew it!

  • Anonymous 1 year ago

    $500,000 penalty? That's more then his purse! lols

  • Anonymous 1 year ago

    check one.....check,check....check two....check,check.......

  • ray 1 year ago

    so is Morales saying that if the penalties weren't so high he would have cheated and come overweight? if he was so weight drained why didn't he fight harder to have the 3rd fight at lightweight? Pacman wasn't that big then at was in no position to DEMAND unlike today.

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