Has there been a title fight in recent memory where pundits seemed so concerned about the health and welfare of one of the fighters, before it started? Leading up to tonight's David Diaz - Erik Morales lightweight title bout in Chicago, a lot of ink and pixels have been consumed wondering if Morales (only 30 years old but 48-5 in a 14-year pro career) really should be doing this. Writers have been looking at El Terrible's recent record (four losses in his last five fights) and the way he lost his last fight (battered by Manny Pacquiao in their rubber match, and wisely quitting on the canvas) and thinking twice about what to think as Morales goes for his fourth title.
"It was a sad sight to see when the once iron-chinned Morales crumpled under a hail of punches and sat on his backside, arms wrapped around his legs, shaking his head 'no' as he took the full count from the referee," Dan Rafael at ESPN.com writes.
At BoxingScene.com, Cliff Rold writes: "We all know that Morales, as a man, has always been willing to suffer great punishment. That’s what should worry anyone who cares." Patrick Kehoe, also at Boxingscene.com, wonders if it's Morales' internal fire as much as his skills that has dimmed: "When a fighter cannot find reasons to care about battling on, no matter his possible fate, he succumbs, he’s pulled downward, gravity affixing the tonnage of violating doom, collapsing everything that makes winning possible." Violating doom cannot be good thing.
In other news: The buzz is already building for Kelly Pavlik's challenge to middleweight champ Jermain Taylor, Sept. 29 in Atlantic City. Keith Idec in the Herald News says Taylor-Pavlik will lead off an exciting Fall for championship boxing. Bernard Fernandez in the Philadelphia Daily News wonders if the fearless Pavlik could become a sort of Arturo Gatti-replacement for fans in Atlantic City. In his Update column at The Ring's website, William Dettloff suggests that competition for fans from mixed martial arts has prodded boxing promoters into making better matches, like Taylor-Pavlik and tonight's Rafael Marquez-Israel Vazquez rematch.
1 comment:
Erik Morales gave it his best shot but his body has been in too many wars. He would have won if he was four years younger. I think he made the right decision to retire and I hope he stays retired. He has contributed a great deal to boxing and his battles against Barrera and Pacquiao. He should not gamble with his health because he has taken a lot of punishment in his boxing career. He remains as one of my favorite fighters.
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