Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Columnist Dean Juipe: Velardez taking big step up to face champion Morales

Dean Juipe's column appears Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. His boxing notebook appears Thursday. Reach him at [email protected] or (702) 259-4084.

Bobby Velardez seems to agree: Erik Morales will determine the outcome of their fight.

Velardez, something of a journeyman and a familiar face to Las Vegas boxing fans who attend the city's smaller shows, is cast in the role of an opponent for the World Boxing Council featherweight champion in the primary undercard bout beneath the Oscar De La Hoya vs. Yory Boy Campas main event Saturday at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.

On paper, Velardez is overmatached. And emotionally he seems to be at a disadvantage in that Morales will be looking to avenge a disqualification loss his brother, Diego, suffered at Velardez's hands last year.

Bettors see the obvious and Morales is a minus 1050 favorite in the sports book at Mandalay Bay. Velardez is a plus 750.

Asked Wednesday about his prospects, Velardez let on that it may ultimately be out of his control.

"I know he's taking me lightly," he said. "So I have to hope that he hasn't trained properly or isn't ready to fight."

In other words, even Velardez admits Morales may be too much for him if the champion comes into the ring fully prepared.

"It's a big step up for anybody to face a world champion," Velardez said. "But I'm looking forward to it and I'll give it all I've got.

"Anything can happen."

Velardez, 22, is 22-4-1 but has only six wins by knockout. He was also losing on the judges' cards to Diego Morales when their fight, April 5 of last year in Tijuana, was stopped in the ninth round when a cornerman for Morales improperly stepped into the ring.

"It was scary," Velardez said. "I couldn't tell what was going on. This guy came into the ring and it looked like he was pointing at me. Then the fight was stopped and people started throwing bottles and chairs at me.

"I felt threatened by the crowd. I just wanted to get out of there."

Erik Morales says he'll reignite the hostility when he gets in the ring with Velardez.

"It shouldn't be too hard of a fight," he said. "I'll beat him and move on."

He's moving on to 130 pounds if a third fight with featherweight archrival Marco Antonio Barrera can't be arranged for this fall.

"I'm ready for something else," Morales said of moving up a division. "I don't have a grudge or anything with Barrera. If we don't fight again, I'm going to 130."

Morales is 43-1 with 32 KOs. He's getting $300,000 for this fight, while Velardez receives $175,000.

Velardez, who has fought primarily at 122 pounds and whose best win was against ex-champ Jesus Salud two years ago, says he'll show up and do his best.

"I know Morales has been talking, but that doesn't bother me at all," he said. "I'm not thinking about what he's said, or about the fight I had with his brother or what I'm going to do next."

He said Marquez, the new International Boxing Federation champion at 126 pounds, will not be fighting Morales and probably won't be fighting Barrera even though such a bout would seem to be a natural for the fellow countrymen.

"Nothing would delight me more than to have Marquez fight Barrera, but John Jackson would give up coaching before he lets Barrera fight Marquez," Arum said, referring to the man who is both Barrera's promoter and a football assistant coach at UNLV.

"Marquez vs. Barrera will never, never happen," Arum added. "It's a great fight and it would make a lot of money, but the other side is afraid of Marquez."

"I want to prove myself against the best and he's great," Arce said through an interpreter. "His style is good for me and I hope to show everyone how good I am. Fans in the United States haven't seen me against a tough guy, so this is the type of fight I was looking for.

"It's a dream come true, fighting on a big card where people can see you."

Arce, 23, is 33-3-1 and gets $20,000 for this fight.

Cob-Castro, 35, is 66-8-4 and is slated to receive $10,000.

Arce is a minus 550 in the Mandalay Bay sports book and Cob-Castro is a plus 350.

"Even if Oscar and Erik get easy wins, the worst-case scenario for me is that I know I have at least one great fight and it's Arce against Cob-Castro," Arum said. "This fight is drawing a lot of attention in Mexico and people there see it as a pick 'em."

Also scheduled on Saturday's card: Ivan Calderon, 15-0, vs. Eduardo Marquez, 11-5-2, 12 rounds, strawweights; Jason Naugler, 8-1, vs. Patrick Thompson, 2-1, six rounds, middleweights; and Cristian Bejarano, 8-0, vs. Leroy Newton, 5-2, six rounds, lightweights.

Also scheduled: Steve Luevano, 17-0, vs. Johnny Nolasco, 11-1-2, eight rounds, featherweights; Sergio Mora, 7-0, vs. Adam Stewart, 2-4, six rounds, middleweights; and junior middleweight Jose Luis Zertuche, 8-1-1, and featherweight Isidro Granados, 6-0, in six-round bouts against opponents yet to be determined.

Also scheduled: Diego Jimenez, 14-0-2, vs. Miguel Huerta, 17-4-1, 10 rounds, junior lightweights; and Freddie Cuevas, 21-4-1, vs. Rogelio Martinez, 12-4-1, 10 rounds, junior middleweights.

Advancing to the nationals, which will be May 26-31 at the Orleans, are the following Nevadans: Xenon Mallari, 106 pounds; Alex Mercado, 119; Dominic Chavez, 141; Abdon Lozano, 152; and Alvaro Morales, 201-plus. Mallari (a UNLV student and three-time collegiate national champion), Mercado, Chavez and Lozano each lives in Las Vegas.

The remaining regional champions include: Noel Mendoza, Arizona, 112 pounds; Ray Lampkin, Washington, 125; Juan Garcia, Arizona, 132; Jesus Gonzales, Arizona, 165; Marcus Pernell, Oregon, 178; and Erick Vega, Arizona, 201.

Arum on his pending legal action against heavyweight Lamon Brewster: "It's a contract interpretation dispute and there's no real animosity on my part." Arum is looking to have the Clark County District Court reverse a $90,000 judgment against Top Rank that was awarded to Brewster by an arbitrator; he's also seeking an additional $95,987 in legal expenses. "I'm not concerned either way," Arum said when asked when the issue was apt to be resolved. "It might take all year." ... Nevada State Athletic Commission executive director Marc Ratner on Guilty Boxing calling off its card at the Orleans last Friday with less than one day's notice due to two out-of-town fighters failing physical exams: "I wasn't pleased and the lesson that can be learned is that promoters need to have all their fighters complete their medical tests before they get to Las Vegas." But I'm looking forward to it and I'll give it all I've got. Anything can happen."

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