El Terrible

Please don't construe this as ridiculously racist, I mean this in the absolute most benign of ways. But it's still Cinco de Mayo for another couple of minutes and I want to take this time to highlight my all-time favorite Mexican athlete: Erik Morales. Ended his boxing career in 2007 as a lightweight, but started it punching like a middleweight at 123-pounds. I don't know where he got his ridiculous power from, but it didn't take away from his speed or his ability to absorb, and push ably through punishment. 

He looked old in his last four fights, all ending in a loss. But even at 30, a time when he should have been in his prime, he was all but washed up. That's what happens when a guy starts fighting professionally at 16! Zahir Raheem turned out to be faster and Manny Pacquiao was just getting into his prime when 'El Terrible' was leaving his. But to me the most indicative moment of Morales's career was in 2005 when he first fought Pacquiao. On short notice he went in with a younger, faster opponent and made him look just silly.  He smacked him around for 12 rounds, firing away with combinations at that 'underdog' status he had going into the bout. 

I had no idea at the time that that would be it for Morales. It was a competitive fight, but one that Morales completely overperformed in because he was that much a professional. He ended his career looking overmatched and under motivated. But on that night for my money, he was as good as he ever was.