Jorge Paez Jr. vs. Breidis Prescott (replacing Erik Morales)

The beleaguered old body of El Terrible was damaged in camp, meaning the Colombian banger known as the "Khanqueror" will be yanked from his planned main event next Friday on Telecaribe vs. Jose Emilio Perea and inserted on the Azteca card the following Saturday, March 22nd, in the opposite corner of Jorge Paez Jr.

Very good match-up, actually.

Paez Jr. on points and Prescott by knockout are equally plausible outcomes.

Paez Jr. has improved markedly since his one career knockout loss in 2007, and despite being small for welter & light middleweight has shown grit and toughness along with his aggressive hornets-nest work rate bringing him continued success. At the same time, however, Prescott has made slow and steady tweaks in his game (particularly his use of his long jab) since 2009 when he proved a cinch for both both Kevin Mitchell and Miguel Vázquez (following a rocky, Marquez vs. Pacquiao I type start, which ultimately should have been a comfortable UD with Vázquez sweeping most of the remaining 9 frames, rather than a SD...) to outbox.

The current versions of both make for an excellent boxer-swarmer vs. puncher dynamic.

El Maromerito is faster, craftier, and has the better inside game and will no doubt be looking to stay in Prescott's chest and put him on the backfoot to render him less effective despite packing less pop, just on sheer cheeky volume the way he did when exposing previously unbeaten Omar Chavez of the famed Chavez boxing dynasty. Prescott is significantly bigger with proportionately less of a reach advantage than height, but still a clear advantage. He is more powerful and physically stronger than anyone Paez has fought (with the exception of JLC, well past his best and over his peak weight at that point) and will look to impose himself and muscle Paez out into jabbing range and bat him around like he did with a similar mismatch in size with Gato Figueroa.


This event was originally scheduled to be Morales' farewell to his fans. Morales will still be promoting the event and will reschedule his final bout after his injury is healed.

 

In the co-main event will be WBO 105lb titlist Merlito Sabillo making his first defense since his controversial draw in his native Philippines with Carlos Buitrago.

The challenger is Francisco Rodriguez Jr., who put up a tough battle last September against Buitrago's countryman and mentor (and unsung p4p virtuoso) Roman Gonzalez.

 

I actually like this a lot more than I liked Morales vs. Paez Jr., to be frank.

Seeing the legend get out-hustled, as probably would have occurred, would have just been depressing.

No word yet on whether Morales will still roll with Paez or Prescott (depending on the result) or start over and find somebody else when he finally does stage his swansong...which now may well come after celebrating his thirty-eighth birthday. :!:

 

Credit to Morales, by the way, for not scrapping the whole card (even though it was put together for his own personal benefit in the first place) and still promoting it and making sure Paez still got to headline on national TV as planned...and for not disrespecting the strawweight division by forcing a postponement of the WBO title contest.

Muy caballeroso. (Very gentlemanly of him) :freddy

 

Really a great doubleheader the more I think about it. :bbb

 

To be honest, given the way he looked in Garcia II (as frail and pathetic as he did all the way back in Pacquiao III, before his impressive renaissance) and the ensuing two year layoff, I really hope Morales won't consider either Paez or Prescott for his ultimate farewell, no matter what goes down. :-(

Either match-up will just get him needlessly hurt...Paez in a more prolonged manner, Prescott mercifully quicker but doubtless more brutal.

 

Yeah, "Box Latino", active for a decade now.

 

STFU you piece of ****.

 

Agree.