Danny Garcia’s greatest challenge Saturday night at Houston’s Reliant Arena might be one of the biggest intangibles of all. Awe is dangerous. Tough to control, too. But that’s what Garcia faces in Erik Morales, a fighter he watched when he wasn’t watching cartoons. Morales won his first major title when Garcia was a restless nine-year-old.
Until he reached his mid-teens, Garcia witnessed Morales’ skillful tenacity throughout his epic series against Marco Antonio Barrera and the trilogy against Manny Pacquiao. No doubt, there’s much to admire. Morales is a good example for any young fighter. From this corner, he also provides a look, scars and all, at what separates the Mexican fighter from the American.
North of the border, only victory matters. To wit: Floyd Mayweather, Jr., whose career seems to start and end with a plan to stay unbeaten. South of the border, performance is often as important as victory. Some of Mexico’s legends are created in defiant battles that happen to end in defeat. Morales has won many more than he’s lost, but he was applauded for the way he fought in defeat by majority decision last April to Marcos Maidana. He has always been willing to take as much punishment as he delivers. It’s an exchange that is dangerous, dramatic and bloody well worth the price of admission.
Garcia (22-0, 14 KOs), an emerging junior-welterweight from Philadelphia, has seen enough of Morales (52-7, 36 KOs) to know he will encounter the resilience that is there now just as surely as it before the comeback. Dealing with it, I suspect, will prove to be as daunting as adjusting to Morales’ tactical expertise, especially in the early rounds. At 47, light-heavyweight Bernard Hopkins has said that his age is one of his prime advantages. It’s simple: The younger fighter is afraid of losing to an old man, Hopkins says.
Morales is 35, yet much older in terms of wear, tear and stitches. Surgery for gall stones forced a postponement of the HBO-televised bout, which had been scheduled for Jan. 28. Morales says he has recovered from the procedure. But 12 rounds aren’t exactly ordinary rehab. Then again, Morales has never been ordinary.
There’s a temptation to pick Morales, because of his extraordinary career. But that would be a mistake, not unlike the one Garcia would make if he succumbed to hero-worship. Before opening bell, Garcia seems to understand.
“Erik Morales is a great fighter,’’ Garcia said in a conference call on Tuesday, also his birthday – he’s 24. “He did a lot for the sport. He had great fights with Barrera and Pacquiao. He had his time to shine. Now it’s my time.’’
If Morales were working Garcia’s corner against another legend, he might tell him about his first title. It was 1997 in El Paso. Morales was 21, facing World Boxing Council super-bantamweight champion Daniel Zaragoza, then 39 and with a Morales-like record of 55-7-3 with 28 KOs. Like Garcia is today, Morales was unbeaten then at 26-0. Any awe of Zaragosa was conquered. Morales knocked out the Hall of Famer in the 11th round. Zaragosa never fought again.
Garcia’s blend of power, speed and youth is enough for him to do the same. The guess here is that experience and knowhow will allow Morales to endure the full 12 rounds. Garcia will win a unanimous decision. Then, he can ask Morales for an autograph.
AZ Notes
Phoenix junior-welterweight prospect Jose Benavidez is back in the gym and undergoing conditioning drills after having a cast removed from his right hand on March 14. Benavidez underwent surgery for a troublesome injury to his right wrist. The procedure forced him off a ShoBox televised card Friday night in Tucson at Casino del Sol.
“It’s cool to be back in the gym,’’ Benavidez said Wednesday from Los Angeles where he resumed workouts at trainer Freddie Roach’s Wild Card Gym. “There’s some stiffness. But we’ll let it heal.’’
Benavidez is scheduled to see doctors for a routine check on April 2. His dad and trainer, Jose Benavidez Sr., said there’s a chance his son’s next bout could be on the Manny Pacquiao-Tim Bradley undercard on June 9 at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand.
“We’ll just see how it goes,’’ the senior Benavidez said.
Meanwhile, another Benavidez prospect might be on the horizon. David Benavidez, who fights at between 185 and 190 pounds, is scheduled for an amateur bout on April 21 at Celebrity Theatre in Phoenix on hybrid — pro-and-amateur — card staged by Iron Boy Promotions. David, a 15-year-old student at Hollywood High School, has done some sparring with former middleweight champ Kelly Pavlik, who has been training for a comeback against Aaron Jaco on March 31 in San Antonio.
“It’s hard to compare the two,’’ their dad said. “In terms of style, they’re just a little bit different.’’