23.01.08 – Matthw Hurley: Three-division champion Erik Morales, last seen losing a close decision to WBC lightweight champion David Diaz, has confirmed that he will return to the ring. Morales’ longtime promoter Bob Arum said that he had talked with the fighter about a possible comeback and insisted that he would not participate in Erik’s return to the ring. The promoter, who espouses genuine affection for the Tijuana legend, was alarmed after the Diaz fight when Morales offered that “punches were hurting him” more than they ever had during his career.
Morales, unquestionably one of the most exciting and accomplished fighters of his era, appears to be wrapped up in the same post-career malaise that has claimed his greatest rival Marco Antonio Barrera.. Barrera recently acknowledged that he will return to the ring despite announcing his retirement after losing his last fight in a rematch to Manny Pacquiao. Morales, who engaged in two trilogies with both Barrera and Pacquiao says that he never retired, despite the fact that the Diaz loss marked his fourth straight bout without a victory. However, the supposedly faded former champion performed exceptionally well against Diaz and many observers felt that he deserved the decision.
Morales told the Mexican newspaper Esto that he plans to take 2008 off and return in 2009 in a ten round bout. “I think I can come back and fight again and win a championship because I don’t consider myself finished. There’s nothing unusual in taking a long break like Roy Jones or Felix Trinidad have done. I saw the action between Armando Santa Cruz and Joel Casamayor, and I believe that at this point I can do better.”
Morales, 48-6 with 34 KOs won titles at super bantamweight, featherweight and super featherweight.
In other news, junior welterweight Ricky Hatton is committed to a ring return at the end of May or the beginning of June, but the Mancunian fighter has ruled out WBC junior welterweight champion Junior Witter as an opponent. Witter, who has seemed almost desperate in calling Hatton out through the media, is now scheduled to defend his title against Demetrius Hopkins on March 22nd at the Morongo Casino Resort & Spa in California. Hatton says that several opponents are under consideration, including IBF champion Paulie Malignaggi but Witter will have to wait.
“Junior Witter has made a career for himself on slagging me off,” Hatton told Sky Sports. “I don’t know whether I want to give him the best payday of his life. When someone slags you off you don’t repay them by giving them their best payday. But you can never say never. Fair play to Junior. He’s won a world title and looks really, really good at the minute.
A possible fight with Oscar De La Hoya, which the ‘Golden Boy’ was hoping for before Floyd Mayweather junked his plans by knocking Hatton out in the tenth round of their bout, seems to be more of a delusional wish on both fighters parts, but Hatton continues to entertain the notion.
“Absolutely,” Hatton said in regards to De La Hoya. “I think one of my best attributes is that I’m pretty fearless, so I’ll fight anyone that is put in front of me. Everyone knows that I’m a natural junior welterweight. A fight against Oscar would probably be at a catch weight between welterweight and junior middleweight, and I don’t know if that would be suitable weight-wise because I’m a 10 stone fighter.”