TalkingBoxing Interviews
A Happy Birthday chat with ERIK MORALES
TUE September 6, ROGER GORDILLO - This past Thursday, I had a chance to not only wish one of Mexico’s greatest boxers, a happy birthday, but also had the chance to ask him a few questions regarding his upcoming, September 10th HBO showdown with Zahir Raheem. Earlier today before my interview with Morales, who is TalkingBoxing's #5 ranked pound for pound fighter, Erik would celebrate just his 29th birthday with a public workout for his fans and the media along with food for everyone.
TalkingBoxing: Erik have you had a chance to watch the Rocky Juarez / Zahir Raheem fight and if so what did you think of that fight?
Erik Morales: I did see the fight and I think it was a very close fight, I thought Raheem was in that fight, he was doing very well, unfortunately he didn't get that decision, there was a lot of things going on in that fight, but I thought he did very well.
TalkingBoxing: Who are some the fighters you've been sparring with in preparation for your next fight?
Erik Morales: Michael Clark, Julio Zarate and a lot of Mexicans fighters from my stable.
TalkingBoxing: Humberto Soto just came off a huge upset over Rocky Juarez and a lot of people are accounting that to him being a sparring partner with you for over a year and learning from you. What do you think about that?
Erik Morales: You know I worked with him a lot, not just a little bit. I worked a lot with him throughout his career the very important steps that he's made. You know we took him along very far, he unfortunately left with some other people before we could finish with him, but you know I'm glad that all that work helped him in that fight and it's shown. all the work that we did with him and I'm very happy you know I'm doing the same thing with a lot of other guys like that and you will be seeing them around too.
TalkingBoxing: Even though [Marco Antonio] Barrera has lost to three different guys and you've beaten every guy he's lost to, do you think it's ridiculous that some people still view Barrera as a better fighter than you?
Erik Morales: I'm not so sure people think that, I think I've proven myself, I think my career it speaks for itself. I think that the fact that people keep showing up to my fights, watch my fights whenever I'm on TV, it shows where I'm at, where my level is and his level is. But I'm not worried about that, I think people know what I am capable of and they enjoy seeing me fight. And I think I've always had a bigger audience than him.
Erik Morales' thoughts on the Lightweight Division
"Training is going good and I’ve been working really hard on my speed and punching power. I have no problem going down to fight Pacquiao at 130, but that is the only reason I would go down to fight at 130 and after that I would move onto 135.
"In training for a fight at 135 I just feel better overall I don't have to worry about dieting, I don't have to worry about anything like that, I'm eating properly , I feel stronger, I feel like I can do a lot more when I'm preparing for my job. My biggest advantage at 135 is my body is going to be very revealing I don't have to work it that hard to make the weight. I think at 135 my body will not have to endure a lot of physical work to get to that weight and I feel that’s going to be the biggest advantage, my body is going to be more resilient.
"I feel that taking the fight with Raheem is important because I need to find out how I feel at 135, how fast I feel, how strong I feel at 135, because I do want to win a fourth title and I do want to become a lightweight Champion. I wouldn't have any problem fighting the winner of the Jose Luis Castillo / Diego Corrales Rematch."
Erik's thoughts on Zahir Raheem
"He looks to be a very complicated guy, he's got a lot of different moves, a lot of movement a lot of speed, and I'm sure he's very hungry. He's getting a big opportunity, and we have to be aware of that. He is coming in real hungry and we have to be ready for that. I work real hard, I work for his style to make him fight and to make a good fight out of it. I think I work real hard and I think it will show on Sept. 10.
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