By Gabriel F. Cordero : After two years away from the ring, three-division world champion Erik Morales says he is targeting a fight with Juan Manuel Márquez or Marco Antonio Barrera next July. The 33-year-old plans to get himself in shape at his training camp in the Otomí mountains of Mexico and return as a lightweight. “I want to return to boxing soon, but against a good opponent. We have spoken with the people of Golden Boy Promotions to do the fight against Juan Manuel Márquez, but have arrived at nothing concrete. I believe that I have a lot left and I want to go two years more at the maximum to try to conquer a fourth title at different weight and to be the first Mexican in do it,” said Morales.
He added that Mexico currently needs a new boxing idol. “We’re in a transition where the last generation is on the way out and the new one is on the way in. Unfortunately, we are some years away from knowing who is going to take the reins of Mexican boxing. We thought it was Antonio Margarito, but was not more than a fight and adios. Jorge Arce hasn’t demonstrated to be more than a mediocre fighter. Really we do not have many figures who have maintained at the top. One is, in spite of his age, Juan Manuel Márquez. Although he has lost some fights, those have been against the better opponents of the division and of the world, but he’s up there at the first level.”