Hall induction sweet treat for Morales
State institution honors lauded Mexican fighter
Most boxers run to the buffet line after making the weigh-in. Erik Morales wasn’t like most fighters.
The legendary Mexican boxer’s post Las Vegas weigh-in ritual was picking up a raspado — shaved ice — from Caesars Palace.
Morales won’t need to worry about making weight when he gets his favorite dessert next week. The fighter known as “El Terrible” will have a raspado on one hand and a Hall of Fame plaque on the other.
Morales, who fought 20 times in Las Vegas, will be enshrined during the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame induction gala on Aug. 12 at Caesars Palace.
“I always craved sweets in training camp,” Morales, 40, said in Spanish. “The first thing I would do after making weight is eat ice cream, cookies, chocolates and stuff like that. I was like a kid.”
There was nothing childish about Morales in the ring. Mexico’s only four-division champion never disappointed fans with his all-out slugfests that included memorable bouts against Marco Antonio Barrera and Manny Pacquiao.
“It’s always a good feeling to be recognized with good company, and it shows that people respected the job you did,” Morales said. “This makes all the hard work well worth it. I’m happy and comfortable with the way my career turned out.”
Morales will be joined by Thomas Hearns, Michael Carbajal, Salvador Sanchez, Ken Norton, Lucia Rijker, Richie Sandoval, Michael and Leon Spinks to form a star-studded Hall of Fame class of 2017.
Rafael Garcia, Elias Ghanem, Mel Greb, Debbie Munch and Davey Pearl are the nonboxer inductees.
Morales will always be connected to Barrera because of their best-of-three series in Las Vegas that is considered the best trilogy in boxing history. Now the man Morales once loathed will be presenting him at the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame.
“I have no problem with that,” Morales said of having Barrera introduce him. “Today we have a good relationship and have become friends.”
Barrera once sucker punched Morales during a news conference. Recently, the former foes went on a trip to Europe with their wives.
“The fights are in the past,” Morales said. “It took some time to get over the hate. We had a good time together.
Getting to fly together to London and Europe. We’ve made peace.”
NVBHOF winners
Former world champions Shawn Porter and Layla Mccarter were chosen as Nevada’s Men’s and Women’s Pro Boxers of the Year, respectively, by the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame.
Porter is coming off a memorable year after defeating Andre Berto in a welterweight title eliminator in April, and had a narrow loss against Keith Thurman in one of the best fights of 2016.
Mccarter extended her winning streak to 16 with victories against Melissa Hernandez Szilvia Szabados.
Yarisel Ramirez was awarded the Nevada Female Amateur Fighter of the Year.
Emiliano Fernando Vargas took the Nevada Male Amateur Fighter of the Year. Other winners, Kevin Newman as the Nevada Male Prospect of the Year, and Latondria Jones as the Nevada Female Prospect of the Year.
The Hall of Fame will present Jill Diamond its Humanitarian Award and Jimmy Montoya with its Presidents Award. They will be recognized at the gala induction dinner on Aug. 12.
Contact Gilbert Manzano at gmanzano@reviewjournal.com. Follow @Gmanzano24 on Twitter.