Érik Morales | |
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Morales in 2011
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Statistics | |
Real name | Érik Isaac Morales Elvira |
Nickname(s) | El Terrible ("The Terrible") |
Rated at | |
Height | 5 ft 8 in (173 cm) |
Reach | 72 in (183 cm) |
Nationality | Mexican |
Born |
Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico |
September 1, 1976
Stance | Orthodox |
Boxing record | |
Total fights | 61 |
Wins | 52 |
Wins by KO | 36 |
Losses | 9 |
Érik Isaac Morales Elvira (born September 1, 1976), best known as Érik Morales, is a Mexican former professional boxer who competed from 1993 to 2012. He was the first Mexican-born boxer in history to win world titles in four different weight classes, having held the WBC super bantamweight title from 1997 to 2000; the WBO super bantamweight title in 2000; the WBC featherweight twice, from 2001 to 2003; the WBC and IBF super featherweight titles in 2004; and the WBC super lightweight title from 2011 to 2012.
Morales defeated fifteen world champions during the course of his career, and is famous for his trilogies with fellow Mexican legend Marco Antonio Barrera, as well as Manny Pacquiao. ESPN ranked Morales at number 49 on their list of the 50 greatest boxers of all time.
Erik Morales was born in the Zona Norte section of Tijuana. Under the tutelage of his father, José Morales, a fighter himself, Erik started boxing at the age of 5 and amassed a very impressive amateur career that saw him fight 114 times (108–6) and win 11 major titles in Mexico. Morales made his professional debut at the age of 16, by knocking out Jose Orejel in two rounds. Between 1993 and 1997, he quickly climbed the ranks in the super bantamweight division, winning 26 fights, 20 by knockout, including wins against former champions Kenny Mitchell and Hector Acero Sánchez, before challenging for his first world title. It was during this time that he signed with promoter Bob Arum.
On September 6, 1997, in El Paso, Texas, at the age of 21, he won his first world title by stopping WBC Super Bantamweight Champion and now member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame, Daniel Zaragoza, via knockout in eleven rounds.