THE LEGEND THAT WAS MORALES
22 November, 2006 by Reylan Loberternos
THE “FILIPINO CONNECTION” PAYS TRIBUTE TO “EL TERRIBLE”
Tagbilaran City, RP – While the boxing world’s attention focuses on Manny “PacMan” Pacquiao’s (43-3-2, 34 KOs) sensational performance during the Grand Finale at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, this writer chooses to dedicate this week’s column to Erik “El Terrible” Morales (48-5-0, 34 KOs) and his loyal fans who have been by his side throughout his thirteen glorious years of professional pugilism. His fateful knockout loss to Pacquiao, two minutes and fifty-seven seconds into the third round, marked what could rightfully be considered as his way of saying goodbye to the sport that he helped promote and stay afloat through sheer determination and courage in his every assignment atop the squared circle, regardless of him winning or not.
WARRIOR IS SYNONIMOUS TO MORALES!
Erik’s journey to Canastota commenced when he wrested the WBC super bantamweight title via eleventh-round knockout of hall-of-famer Daniel “The Mouse” Zaragoza (55-8-3, 28 KOs) who was coming off six successful defenses. Zaragoza never saw action again after that brutal beating. Morales then went on to beat first-rate fighters like Junior Jones (50-6-0, 28 KOs), Wayne McCullough (27-6-0, 18 KOs), Kevin Kelley (59-8-2, 39 KOs), Guty Espadas Jr (38-7-0, 24 KOs), In Jin Chi (30-3-1, 18 KOs), Paulie Ayala (35-3-0, 12 KOs), Jesus Chavez (43-3-0, 30 KOs), and Carlos Hernandez (42-7-1, 24 KOs). He had two hard-fought trilogies against tough fighters in Marco Antonio Barrera (63-4-0, 42 KOs) and Manny Pacquiao (43-3-2, 34 KOs), losing twice to both. To sum it all up, Erik has fought approximately 342 brutal rounds of nonstop action!
VICTORY IN DEFEAT!
Was Morales really just looking for his last huge payday? I don’t think so! He’s way too rich to just be after themoney. Erik believed he still had it. He thought he’d be able to reverse the odds and prove them wrong. Beating the guy whom most boxing pundits consider the top of the food chain was his primary objective. It was, however, a terrible miscalculation on his part. He did his best and summoned all the remaining energy, strength, and vigor that he could possibly muster, but still he failed. That still wasn’t enough to unseat the king. Nevertheless, giving his all, gallantly fighting back in spite of the awful punishment he sustained in the process, giving boxing fans something to cheer about, thereby stamping his class and further fortifying his reputation as a brave warrior is already a great achievement in itself. That alone made him victorious in defeat.
PACQUIAO’S GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT THUS FAR?
Erik Morales is a very proud fighter. Everybody knows that. His act of raising the hand of the guy who beat him and pointing to that hand he raised was an affirmation and confirmation of respect. It was his way of taking his hat off to a fighter he once thought he was superior to. Indeed, this sign of sportsmanship and deference, never before seen in his other ring losses, is such a great honor and achievement for the person whose hand he raised. Earning the nod of a legend in the mold of Erik Morales is more than the KO victory that was adjoined in Pacquiao’s resume. This is probably Manny Pacquiao’s greatest achievement so far as a boxer!
THANK YOU, ERIK!
As “El Terrible” flips the final pages of his illustrious boxing career, I believe it is but appropriate to provide him the props that he so deserves. His legend shall engender inspiration to other aspiring boxers and his name shall forever be emblazoned in the annals of boxing. Thank you, Erik for the legend that you are!
THE “FILIPINO CONNECTION” PAYS TRIBUTE TO “EL TERRIBLE”
Tagbilaran City, RP – While the boxing world’s attention focuses on Manny “PacMan” Pacquiao’s (43-3-2, 34 KOs) sensational performance during the Grand Finale at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, this writer chooses to dedicate this week’s column to Erik “El Terrible” Morales (48-5-0, 34 KOs) and his loyal fans who have been by his side throughout his thirteen glorious years of professional pugilism. His fateful knockout loss to Pacquiao, two minutes and fifty-seven seconds into the third round, marked what could rightfully be considered as his way of saying goodbye to the sport that he helped promote and stay afloat through sheer determination and courage in his every assignment atop the squared circle, regardless of him winning or not.
WARRIOR IS SYNONIMOUS TO MORALES!
Erik’s journey to Canastota commenced when he wrested the WBC super bantamweight title via eleventh-round knockout of hall-of-famer Daniel “The Mouse” Zaragoza (55-8-3, 28 KOs) who was coming off six successful defenses. Zaragoza never saw action again after that brutal beating. Morales then went on to beat first-rate fighters like Junior Jones (50-6-0, 28 KOs), Wayne McCullough (27-6-0, 18 KOs), Kevin Kelley (59-8-2, 39 KOs), Guty Espadas Jr (38-7-0, 24 KOs), In Jin Chi (30-3-1, 18 KOs), Paulie Ayala (35-3-0, 12 KOs), Jesus Chavez (43-3-0, 30 KOs), and Carlos Hernandez (42-7-1, 24 KOs). He had two hard-fought trilogies against tough fighters in Marco Antonio Barrera (63-4-0, 42 KOs) and Manny Pacquiao (43-3-2, 34 KOs), losing twice to both. To sum it all up, Erik has fought approximately 342 brutal rounds of nonstop action!
VICTORY IN DEFEAT!
Was Morales really just looking for his last huge payday? I don’t think so! He’s way too rich to just be after themoney. Erik believed he still had it. He thought he’d be able to reverse the odds and prove them wrong. Beating the guy whom most boxing pundits consider the top of the food chain was his primary objective. It was, however, a terrible miscalculation on his part. He did his best and summoned all the remaining energy, strength, and vigor that he could possibly muster, but still he failed. That still wasn’t enough to unseat the king. Nevertheless, giving his all, gallantly fighting back in spite of the awful punishment he sustained in the process, giving boxing fans something to cheer about, thereby stamping his class and further fortifying his reputation as a brave warrior is already a great achievement in itself. That alone made him victorious in defeat.
PACQUIAO’S GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT THUS FAR?
Erik Morales is a very proud fighter. Everybody knows that. His act of raising the hand of the guy who beat him and pointing to that hand he raised was an affirmation and confirmation of respect. It was his way of taking his hat off to a fighter he once thought he was superior to. Indeed, this sign of sportsmanship and deference, never before seen in his other ring losses, is such a great honor and achievement for the person whose hand he raised. Earning the nod of a legend in the mold of Erik Morales is more than the KO victory that was adjoined in Pacquiao’s resume. This is probably Manny Pacquiao’s greatest achievement so far as a boxer!
THANK YOU, ERIK!
As “El Terrible” flips the final pages of his illustrious boxing career, I believe it is but appropriate to provide him the props that he so deserves. His legend shall engender inspiration to other aspiring boxers and his name shall forever be emblazoned in the annals of boxing. Thank you, Erik for the legend that you are!
posted by Reylan | 3:31 PM
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