Morel a tough hurdle for Peñalosa

MANILA, Philippines - Former WBA flyweight and IBA superflyweight champion Eric Morel, a registered sex offender who was imprisoned for assaulting an unconscious 15-year-old girl, stands in the way of veteran Gerry Peñalosa’s path to end his career with a flourish.

Peñalosa, 37, dreams of retiring a world titlist and battles Morel for the interim WBO bantamweight crown at the Las Vegas Hilton tonight (tomorrow morning, Manila). “Losing is not an option,” said Peñalosa yesterday. “I’m not thinking of what to do if I lose because I won’t lose. I’m going for a knockout. After beating Morel, I’ll challenge (Fernando) Montiel for the WBO bantamweight title if he defeats Ciso Morales.”

Montiel’s defense against the Bohol-born Morales is on the same “Latin Fury 13/Pinoy Power 3” card as the Peñalosa-Morel bout. Also in the lineup are three other Filipinos – Nonito Donaire Jr. who stakes his interim WBA superflyweight crown against late substitute Mexico’s Manuel (Chango) Vargas (original challenger Gerson Guerrero was pulled out after doctors confirmed a detached retina in his right eye), Bernabe Concepcion who takes on Puerto Rico’s Mario Santiago and Mark Jason Melligen who faces unbeaten Texan Raymond Gatica.

Peñalosa’s wife Goody, who is in Las Vegas, said she’s confident of victory. “I’m not scared,” she said. “Gerry’s in good condition. Everything, we entrust to the Lord. Morel is bigger and taller but he’s fighting in Gerry’s legitimate weight division.”

At a press conference the other day, Peñalosa and Morel were civil towards each other. Peñalosa told Morel, “may the better man win” but got a dead-pan reaction. Top Rank chairman Bob Arum, presiding in the conference, described Peñalosa as one of the best fighters he’s ever seen and introduced him as Manny Pacquiao’s mentor. Morel, one of seven children, learned how to box from his father Cirilo when he was eight. He patterned his style after Sugar Ray Leonard and Hector Camacho, relying more on skill than power to carve out an amateur record of 124-14. One of his losses was to Floyd Mayweather for the 106-pound US Golden Gloves title in Arkansas in 1993. Mayweather and Morel were on the US Olympic team in Atlanta in 1996.

“Floyd and Eric are not exactly bosom buddies but have been good friends over the years and have a mutual respect for each other,” said Morel’s former trainer Bob Lynch. “In many ways, they are very similar. Eric has an incredible inner drive. You could give him King Kong as an opponent and he’d accept it.”

Morel got his nickname “Little Hands of Steel” from Olympic teammate Lawrence Clay-Bey after knocking out a sparmate and shattering his eardrum. Since turning pro in 1996, Morel has scored 21 KOs, including eight in the first round, in compiling a record of 41-2. His only losses were decisions to Venezuelan Lorenzo Parra and Mexican Martin Castillo.

Morel’s recuperative ability was showcased when he survived three trips to the canvas to halt Ysaias Zamudio in 1999. He was also dropped by Parra with a right hook to the head in the third round, got up and went the distance in losing the WBA flyweight crown on his sixth defense in Puerto Rico in 2003.

Morel’s career has been interrupted by brushes with the law. He fought only once in 2001 because of two drunk-driving violations and another rap for resisting arrest. But the worst incident was when he was sentenced to two years in prison and two years of extended supervision for sexually assaulting a teenager. Morel changed his plea from not guilty to no contest then was convicted of second degree sexual assault by circuit county judge William Foust in 2005. He was released in 2007 and staged a comeback the next year to rack up six wins in a row, including a decision over Rey (Boom Boom) Bautista tormentor Heriberto Ruiz.

Now, Morel, who has worked as a cleaner and a front-desk checker in a hotel, is refocused on his career. He is dedicating the fight against Peñalosa to his fiancée Francisca Padilla and daughters Janessa, 13, and Jalyssa, 7.

“I want to prove a point,” said Morel, quoted by Lem Satterfield of boxing.fanhouse.com. “I’m going to surprise a lot of people. I’m going to do a lot of things that boxers haven’t done to Gerry.”

Morel said after losing to Juan Manuel Lopez in a bid for the WBO superbantamweight crown last April, Peñalosa should’ve retired. “I saw the effects of Gerry fighting a bigger, stronger man,” he said. “And if I see myself fighting like that, I would definitely consider retirement. How is he going to react to my speed and my movement? That’s going to be a different story. Is he going to be ready for the fight? I’m sure that he will be. I’m hoping that he will be because it’s going to be a long night.”

Morel said he has learned his lessons from the past and won’t make the same mistakes again.

“The Eric Morel of today is smarter, a better boxer, more dedicated, more focused, and hungrier,” he said. “I don’t go out and party any more. I’m dedicated to my family and my sport. I’m more into my business, which is my family and my boxing. That’s what I eat, sleep, think. Everything reflects on my family.”

Morel is 2 1/2 inches taller than Peñalosa and enjoys a huge five-inch reach advantage.

Peñalosa made his pro debut in 1989, seven years before Morel, and has compiled a 54-7-2 record, with 36 KOs. Even as he lost to Lopez in his last bout, Peñalosa was hailed by Ring Magazine for never going down and given the “Jake LaMotta Cast Iron Chin Anvil” award. Peñalosa wanted to continue fighting but trainer Freddie Roach insisted on throwing in the towel as Lopez, exploiting his size edge, was in control of the fight and inflicting heavy damage.