Erik Morales

Golden Boy Promotions tentatively plans to stage former junior-welterweight champion Amir Khan's next fight July 7 at the Honda Center, company Chief Executive Richard Schaefer said Thursday. England's Khan (26-2, 18 knockouts) was supposed to fight Lamont Peterson on Saturday in a rematch of their controversial decision won by Peterson in December. Peterson, however, tested positive for synthetic testosterone, and Golden Boy scrapped the fight. In Anaheim, Khan initially targeted new World Boxing Council junior-welterweight champion Danny "Swift" Garcia (23-0, 14 KOs)

Golden Boy Promotions tentatively plans to stage former junior-welterweight champion Amir Khan's next fight July 7 at the Honda Center, company Chief Executive Richard Schaefer said Thursday. England's Khan (26-2, 18 knockouts) was supposed to fight Lamont Peterson on Saturday in a rematch of their controversial decision won by Peterson in December. Peterson, however, tested positive for synthetic testosterone, and Golden Boy scrapped the fight. In Anaheim, Khan initially targeted new World Boxing Council junior-welterweight champion Danny "Swift" Garcia (23-0, 14 KOs)

1. Felix Trinidad: His May 12th test at 160 pounds is no sure thing. 2. Shane Mosley: If Trinidad is No. 1, Mosley is 1A. 3. Lennox Lewis: Enough already with the stalemate. Fight Tyson. 4. Floyd Mayweather: Seems to have had attitude adjustment. 5. Oscar De La Hoya Needs an attitude adjustment. 6. Fernando Vargas: How much did Trinidad take out of him? 7. Roy Jones: Next opponent, Julio Gonzalez, won't help this ranking. 8. Bernard Hopkins: Chance to move up comes in September against Trinidad.

The last time Erik Morales was on a significant boxing card, it ended with his fifth loss in six fights and him announcing retirement. As he prepares to walk into the MGM Grand Garden Arena ring in Las Vegas on Saturday night for a pay-per-view junior-welterweight bout opposite Argentina's heavy-hitting Marcos Maidana, Morales is set to discover whether his comeback is remembered as just another sad cash grab or one more thrilling boxing redemption....

Erik Morales says it was because of Fernando Velardez's slighting of well-wishers. Velardez says it was because of a slight cough. Or a sneeze. Or a runny nose. More than likely, it's because of Morales' slight concern that he is not sufficiently motivated for his World Boxing Council featherweight title defense against Velardez in the semi-main event Saturday night at the Mandalay Bay Events Center before Oscar De La Hoya's match against Yory Boy Campas.

Standing in front of a bank of microphones at the head table of an L.A. restaurant Tuesday afternoon, Carlos Hernandez looked to his left and broke into a big smile. There was his opponent in Saturday's 130-pound unification title fight, Erik Morales, head down, devouring the meal in front of him. Fighters attend news conferences such as Tuesday's all the time, sometimes several a week in the days before a fight.

CHICAGO -- Erik Morales, undefeated in his first 41 bouts, world champion at 21, winner of titles at 120, 126 and 130 pounds and a virtual shoo-in for boxing's Hall of Fame, thinks he knows what went wrong in his last three bouts, all losses, two by knockout. He believes he stayed too long at 130 pounds and wrongly abandoned his traditional training in his native Mexico for a fitness club in Los Angeles.

At 2:30 p.m., Erik Morales stepped on a scale at the Thomas & Mack Center and sucked in his stomach, and a hush fell over the crowd of several hundred on hand to watch. Then came the announcement: "One hundred twenty-nine pounds." A roar went up from the Morales' supporters and a big smile crossed the face of the Mexican fighter. The man who had sworn after his last match that he would never again fight at 130 pounds, could not fight at 130 pounds, had proven himself wrong.

For Erik Morales, the title defense may be his last--at 122 pounds. For Diego Morales, his title defense may be the first of many on cards with his brother. For Michael Carbajal, this may be his last shot at a fifth title. And for Butterbean, who has newly acquired credibility, despite not having a bona fide title, it's yet another fight with the same old act in a new setting.

ROSEMONT, Ill. -- David Diaz overcame a first-round knockdown and an ugly welt under his right eye Saturday night to keep his World Boxing Council lightweight title with a unanimous decision over Erik Morales. "I won in the late rounds like I usually do," said the bruised but happy winner. "I'm thrilled to defend my championship in Chicago for the people." Even before the decision was announced, Morales said win or lose, "That's it for me. No more. I'll never fight again.

Saturday night will either be the beginning or the end for boxer Erik Morales. If it is the beginning, it will be a new one. He is 34, has had 57 pro fights, has been champion in three weight classes and is certainly going to end up in the sport's Hall of Fame someday. The most popular wager is that this is the end for Morales. Las Vegas odds put him as a 6-1 underdog Saturday against the younger, rising Marcos Maidana of Argentina in their 140-pound fight, which is likely to be designated as a contest for the WBA title.

Manny Pacquiao is surrounded by people who make his life easier: a personal chef, friends to entertain with karaoke, buddies who'll play darts and basketball and a business manager looking out for his financial interests. Pacquiao asks a favor, wants something done, and the answer is yes. Freddie Roach is the exception. Roach, a former journeyman boxer who trained at the foot of Joe Frazier's Hall of Fame cornerman Eddie Futch, is the honest voice in the ear of the world's top pound-for-pound boxer.

ROSEMONT, Ill. -- David Diaz overcame a first-round knockdown and an ugly welt under his right eye Saturday night to keep his World Boxing Council lightweight title with a unanimous decision over Erik Morales. "I won in the late rounds like I usually do," said the bruised but happy winner. "I'm thrilled to defend my championship in Chicago for the people." Even before the decision was announced, Morales said win or lose, "That's it for me. No more. I'll never fight again.

CHICAGO -- Erik Morales, undefeated in his first 41 bouts, world champion at 21, winner of titles at 120, 126 and 130 pounds and a virtual shoo-in for boxing's Hall of Fame, thinks he knows what went wrong in his last three bouts, all losses, two by knockout. He believes he stayed too long at 130 pounds and wrongly abandoned his traditional training in his native Mexico for a fitness club in Los Angeles.

At 2:30 p.m., Erik Morales stepped on a scale at the Thomas & Mack Center and sucked in his stomach, and a hush fell over the crowd of several hundred on hand to watch. Then came the announcement: "One hundred twenty-nine pounds." A roar went up from the Morales' supporters and a big smile crossed the face of the Mexican fighter. The man who had sworn after his last match that he would never again fight at 130 pounds, could not fight at 130 pounds, had proven himself wrong.

In his last fight, Erik Morales' performance was "disgraceful." So says Morales' own promoter, Bob Arum. Even Arum, a classic spinmeister, has to acknowledge that Morales showed up for his last match, against Zahir Raheem, unprepared, physically and mentally. Having been in ring wars with Marco Antonio Barrera and Manny Pacquiao, Morales figured he could beat a guy like Raheem in his sleep.

After easily defending his World Boxing Council featherweight title in the semi-main main event Saturday night at the Mandalay Bay Events Center, Erik Morales announced that he had thrown his last punch in the 126-pound division. If so, Morales went out with a virtuoso performance against a courageous but clearly outclassed opponent.

This is a different feeling for Erik Morales. Usually, as he prepares for a fight, Morales works himself into an angry lather about his opponent, getting himself bent out of shape with real, and imagined, slights. But this time, as Morales attempts to take the World Boxing Council's super-featherweight title from Jesus Chavez tonight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, Morales is serene. "I don't feel anything like [before]," the Tijuana-born Morales said, matter-of-factly.

Erik Morales and Manny Pacquiao, two of the best fighters in the lower weight divisions, will be in the ring tonight at Staples Center. Unfortunately, they won't be there at the same time. Tuning up for a possible rematch on Jan. 21, Morales and Pacquiao will face other opponents in tonight's co-main events. Morales (48-2, 34 knockouts), in his first bout at 135 pounds and coming off a unanimous decision over Pacquiao in March, will fight Zahir Raheem (26-1, 16).

Even after 36 rounds of constant action over three fights, even after years of trash-talking, even after exchanging punches at a news conference and insults through the media, they weren't finished. When Marco Antonio Barrera came over to Erik Morales, trying to shake his hand after their relentless, inspiring, bloody battle Saturday night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena -- a fight won by Barrera on a majority decision -- Morales tried to throw water in Barrera's face.