Hand injury delays ring return of Erik Morales

Hand injury delays ring return of Erik Morales
Mark E. Ortega
RingTV.com
March 1, 2014


Mexican ring legend Erik Morales will have to wait a little bit longer to make his return to the ring.

Friday, it was confirmed that Morales (52-9, 36 knockouts) suffered a hand injury in preparation for his Mar. 22 bout against Jorge Paez Jr., which was supposed to take place in Monterrey and end a 17-month absence for the four-division titlist.

Instead, it is likely that Jose Miguel Cotto, the older brother of Miguel Cotto, will take the place of Morales against Paez Jr., according to a source at Zanfer Promotions, who handles Paez Jr. This is contrary to reports stating that Colombian slugger Breidis Prescott will be the replacement.

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Lederman's most memorable Boxing After Dark fights

Lederman's most memorable Boxing After Dark fights
Mark E. Ortega
RingTV.com
March 27, 2013


Over the course of its 15 year run, HBO's Boxing After Dark series has produced some of the sport's most exciting matchups. The series has televised cards from all over the world in eight different countries with more than 125 championship bouts being broadcast.

The inaugural broadcast on Feb. 3, 1996 featured a smashing 122-pound contest between rising Marco Antonio Barrera and a still quality Kennedy McKinney. It was a back-and-forth war with tons of bad blood. The program, which has focused on building stars for its World Championship Boxing brand, has hardly looked back since that first show.

On Saturday, a rematch of one of last year’s best fights tops an HBO B.A.D. telecast.Brandon Rios looks to duplicate his mid-rounds stoppage of Mike Alvarado at the Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. The first fight, which took place last October in Carson, Calif., was a B.A.D. opener (for Nonito Donaire-Toshiaki Nishioka), while this fight will headline – to lots of fanfare.

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Ten more fights that deserve the HBO Legendary Nights treatment

Ten more fights that deserve the HBO Legendary Nights treatment
Mark E. Ortega
Queensberry-Rules.com
November 30, 2012

When HBO Sports churned out a series of 30-minute documentaries on twelve of the best fights broadcast on their airwaves, we watched. In 2003, HBO took us inside twelve different rivalries, giving us certain insights that you wouldn't have known unless you were an insider when the fights took place. For some of these fights, there were no message boards. In 2003, there was no YouTube.

But thankfully, with the excellent narrating skills of Liev Schreiber and studio work of Jim Lampley (a much better Lampley than we are seeing on “The Fight Game”), old fans were able to relive, and new fans were introduced to, these twelve matchups: Larry Holmes-Gerry Cooney, Aaron Pryor-Alexis Arguello, Ray Leonard-Thomas Hearns, Marvin Hagler-Thomas Hearns, Marvin Hagler-Ray Leonard, Julio Cesar Chavez-Meldrick Taylor, Mike Tyson-Buster Douglas, Evander Holyfield-Riddick Bowe, Riddick Bowe-Andrew Golota, Michael Moorer-George Foreman, Oscar De La Hoya-Felix Trinidad and Lennox Lewis-Mike Tyson.

As a burgeoning fight fan in 2003, the production value and format of these documentaries helped my interest grow even larger. It made me want to go back and read work from some of the veteran sportswriters that were featured, like the Boston Globe's Ron Borges or Tim Kawakami (then of the Philadelphia Daily News). It made me want to gain access to the footage of these fights, which in 2003 was a ton more difficult than it is today.

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Faded legend Morales dealt KO by Garcia

Faded legend Morales dealt KO by Garcia
Mark E. Ortega
Martinez News-Gazette
October 22, 2013

BROOKLYN--Though they went twelve tough rounds the first time, Philadelphia's Danny Garcia (25-0, 16 KOs) whitewashed living legend and future Hall of Famer Erik Morales (52-9, 36 KOs) of Tijuana, Mexico, stopping him with a single counter left hook in the 4th round of their junior welterweight contest. Both fighters were looking to land left hooks but the younger, quicker handed Garcia found the mark with a brutal left hook that turned Morales around like a spinning top in a Knockout of the Year candidate. Morales was badly hurt and one of his cornermen jumped into the ring, forcing referee Benjy Esteves Jr. to halt the bout at the 1:23 mark.

Morales a source of dependency for boxing

Morales provides boxing a source of dependency

Mark E. Ortega

Leave-it-in-the-ring.com

April 12, 2011

It was a fight that, once over, rendered the official verdict meaningless if you were fortunate enough to catch the action and see it for what it was. Sure, ten years down the line, someone who may not know any better might check out Boxrec, see “Marcos Maidana MD12 Erik Morales,” and think nothing of it, but to those lucky enough to count themselves as one of the more than 7,000 in attendance or one of the few hundred thousand that tuned in live, it was an epic night in the storied career of one of boxing's great warriors.

It's entirely possible that Marcos Maidana may never reach the elite level of the sport, but that won't diminish what Morales was able to do against him at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas this past weekend.

Maidana's record improves, Morales' all-time status soars

Maidana's record improves, Morales' all-time great status soars

Mark E. Ortega

Leave-it-in-the-ring.com

April 9, 2011

In what can be considered one of the more impressive performances by a fighter who is long past his best, Mexican hero Erik “El Terrible” Morales silenced all of his critics as he made it to the finish line against Argentinian heavy hitter Marcos Maidana, losing a hard fought twelve-round unanimous decision victory at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada in a bout that many will tab as a candidate for Fight of the Year.

Morales 140, Maidana 140

Morales, 140, Maidana 140

Mark E. Ortega

Leave-it-in-the-ring.com

April 8, 2011

The last time Erik “El Terrible” Morales stepped foot into the MGM Grand for a professional prizefight, he scored the most illustrious win of his storied career, a clear cut twelve round unanimous decision victory over Manny Pacquiao, which serves as the last time the Filipino icon suffered defeat.

That bout took place little more than six years ago, and although Morales has slipped a peg or three since, he is obviously still a big enough draw to be headlining tonight's star studded HBO pay-per-view card from Las Vegas and has seen much of the same amount of people show up in support of him than in his heyday.

Where would a win over Maidana rank for El Terrible?

Where would a win over Maidana rank for El Terrible?

Mark E. Ortega

Leave-it-in-the-ring.com

April 4, 2011

When Erik “El Terrible” Morales steps into the ring on April 7^th at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada, he will do so against higher odds than the living legend has ever seen.

What Morales faces is the junior welterweight wrecking machine known as “Chino”, Marcos Rene Maidana of Argentina. Though never a legitimate world champion, Maidana is perhaps the stiffest test the Tijuana native has ever faced, and considering he has been in against names like Pacquiao and Barrera a combined six times, its not on account of a lack of names.

Coronel named as opponent for Zewski

Coronel named as opponent for Zewski

Mark E. Ortega

Leave-it-in-the-ring.com

April 5, 2011

Undefeated Canadian junior middleweight prospect Mikael Zewski [8-0, 5 KOs] has found an opponent for his spot on the undercard of this Saturday's Erik Morales-Marcos Maidana HBO pay-per-view as he will fight Robert Guerrero sparring partner Clint Coronel [4-1-2, KO] of San Jose, California in a six-round bout.

The Brothers Morales

The Brothers Morales

Mark E. Ortega (translation done by George Jimenez)

Leave-it-in-the-ring.com

April 1, 2011

On April 9^th, the partisan crowd at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada will get a glimpse at the past, present, and future of one of Mexico's most favored fighting families.

Headlining the HBO pay-per-view televised card will be elder statesman Erik “El Terrible” Morales [51-6, 35 KOs] who returns to the big fight limelight for the first time in four years as he takes on Argentina's Marcos Rene Maidana [29-2, 27 KOs], quite possibly the heaviest hitter south of the welterweight division.