By James Slater – Over the last month or so (perhaps even longer), there has been more and more talk of a possible showdown between Mexican greats Juan Manuel Marquez and Erik Morales. Referred to as “The Mexican super-fight that never happened,” certain people in the trade are saying the fight is unfinished business, and that it should happen next year.
Back in the early to mid 2000s, when Mexican warriors Morales, Marco Antonio Barrera and Marquez were at the top of their game (Marquez, though aged 37, remains there today) and rumbling, “El Terrible” and “Dinamita, for whatever reason, failed to meet. Some people want to see this rectified. But today, with Morales a far faded fighter from what he once was, the better-late-than-never match-up could well be a sad fight to see..
Morales, who faces Scotland’s Willie Limond this Saturday night in Mexico, wants the fight with the lightweight king (though at what weight we don’t know – can the ageing Morales make 135-pounds and be effective these days?), but we have not heard too much from Marquez. Does he want the fight as much as the 34-year-old with the 49-6(34) record wants it?
Of course, all talk of a Marquez-Morales showdown will become forgotten if either man loses his next fight – and neither guy has what you could call a safe opponent lined up. Morales SHOULD get past the relatively light-hitting Limond, but Marquez faces a real war on November 27th, when he will square off with the tough and relentless Michael Katsidis. Ask “The Great” whether or not Marquez will finally get it on with countryman Morales next, and he’ll likely tell you no, because Marquez will get beaten up and lose to him first, in November.
But, providing both mid-thirties stars do come through their upcoming fights okay, will the fans relish the idea of seeing yet another addition to the Seniors Circuit? Sure, Marquez, at least up until his last fight, the dominant July rematch win over Juan Diaz, has shown he can cut it with elite fighters who are much younger than him – with him loving the challenge of taking on the very best – but would Marquez get sufficiently motivated for a fight with Morales?
The promoters could bill the fight as something like: “Finally!” Or “Five Years in The Making.” But maybe the best title, the most appropriate title for the all-Mexican showdown is “The One That Got Away.” Let’s leave it at that, shall we?
For though Morales always has and always will try and give his best in a fight, he is so much slower today than is Marquez, he is so much more close to being a shot fighter than Marquez is, and though he would have given the 37-year-old who is currently 51-5-1(37) a real war a few years back, in 2011 he would lose and lose badly. Who needs to see that?