On Saturday, June 8, boxing legend Erik Morales is co-promoting under his banner Box Latino a fight between former champion Humberto Soto (60-8-2, 34KOs) and Hiroshi Nakamori of Japan at the Monumental Villa Charra Carlos Bowser Gonzalez in Tijuana, Baja California.
During the final presser things got heated between Morales and Soto. For many years they both had a grudge against each other. Soto has always wanted a shot at Morales that at one point Soto vacated his WBC lightweight title and moved up in high hopes to make the fight, unfortunately the fight never happened.
The 36-year old Morales (52-9, 36 KO) announced his intention to fight the winner of Soto-Nakamori.
“My idea is to fight in early August and prepare for my farewell which will take place later this year with all of my people in Tijuana and that will close my cycle of work after twenty years in boxing,” revealed Erik Morales.
“The idea is to fight the winner [of Soto-Nakamori fight],” continue Morales. “This Saturday I will be first in line, hoping that Soto wins his fight, I’ll have the contract ready.”
The Mexican warrior, who always fought the best, went as far to say he will retire Soto.
“If you accept the fight I’m going to retire you. I’m going out with conviction and will beat you so embarrassingly you will need to retire. I’m going to beat you into retirement,” Erik Morales warns Humberto Soto.
Of course Soto fired back.
“I will not be an ornament for his farewell. If he wants to fight me, he’s going to be defeated. I am totally focused on my fight this Saturday against Nakamori in Tijuana. After this, I’ll take great pleasure in facing Erik Morales and knock him out so that he can no longer return.”
This is why Morales was and always will be my favorite fighter, even at the end of his career, he still wants to go out with a bang. The reality is Morales can no longer compete at the world class level and a fight with Soto will do more harm than good. Morales in his prime could have easily knocked Soto out but he’s past his prime.
The two are bitter rivals who have exchanged words in the past. However don’t get to excited to see these bitter rivals in September. HBO or Showtime will not be interested in this match up and the licensing from the Mexican network Televisa will probably just be enough to pay Morales’ expected purse and that leaves Soto out in the cold which can jeopardize the match up.