What It Lacks in Matchups, It Makes Up for in Names

Erik Morales and Manny Pacquiao, two of the best fighters in the lower weight divisions, will be in the ring tonight at Staples Center.

Unfortunately, they won’t be there at the same time.

Tuning up for a possible rematch on Jan. 21, Morales and Pacquiao will face other opponents in tonight’s co-main events. Morales (48-2, 34 knockouts), in his first bout at 135 pounds and coming off a unanimous decision over Pacquiao in March, will fight Zahir Raheem (26-1, 16). Pacquiao, in his first ring appearance since the Morales fight, takes on Hector Velazquez (42-10-2, 31).

Although neither fight is for a bona fide title, both are for championships of subdivisions of their weight classes, a neat little trick of the World Boxing Council to squeeze out additional sanctioning fees. The Morales-Raheem fight is for the International WBC lightweight championship. The Pacquiao-Velazquez match is for the International WBC super-featherweight title.

Since the current WBC lightweight champion, Diego Corrales, won his title from Jose Luis Castillo, of Mexico, and since the current WBC super-featherweight champion, Marco Antonio Barrera, is also from Mexico, there seems to be no need for an international title.

Other than the profit.

Nevertheless, promoter Bob Arum insists tonight’s fights are more than the tuneups they appear to be.

“These guys are no walk in the park,” he said of the opponents for Morales and Pacquiao. “These are tough fighters. There is an obligation on our part to present competitive fights. People are paying money to see them. And HBO [which is televising the matches] expects that.”

The biggest question mark is Velazquez, who not only has lost 10 times, but has been stopped in four of those fights, three in succession. He has won five in a row, but, like most of his opponents, they were fighters largely unknown outside of Mexico.

“Hector Velazquez is going to give it his all,” said the Tijuana fighter, speaking in the third person.

“People who know me know that I am not an easy fighter, like they think. I am not going to disappoint the fans.”

Morales and Pacquiao should each welcome an easier fight. For Morales, it’s a chance to get used to the 135-pound division, see how he feels and decide if he wants to stay there.

He weighed in at 134 Friday, Raheem at 133.

Whether Morales keeps the added weight or goes back to 130 pounds, he has plenty of options. At 135, he’s in a division with Corrales, Castillo, Joel Casamayor and Juan Diaz. If he goes back to 130, he could have a rematch with Pacquiao or perhaps a fourth fight against Barrera.

For Pacquiao, tonight’s fight is a welcome respite simply because of the calm in his own camp. After his tempestuous relationship with his previous promoter, Murad Muhammad -- who left only after he had been sued -- Pacquiao is settling in with new promoter Gary Shaw. Pacquiao weighed in at the limit, 130 pounds, as did Velazquez.

Perhaps the best fight of the night will be the only true title fight. Eric Ortiz (24-4-1, 16) of Mexico City, the WBC light-flyweight champion, will put his belt up against Brian Viloria (17-0, 11) of Honolulu.

This will be an emotional night for Viloria, and not only because he’s getting a world title shot. Seated near ringside will be Ruben Contreras, Viloria’s opponent in May, the last time Viloria was in the Staples Center ring. Viloria won that fight on a sixth-round technical knockout to earn the match against Ortiz, but the joy of that triumph evaporated quickly when Contreras was rushed to the hospital because of a blood clot forming around his brain.

Viloria, who hasn’t seen Contreras since that traumatic night, plans to give a big hug to the former fighter, who has recovered much of his mental awareness and muscle control.

“He won the biggest fight,” Viloria said, “the fight for his life.”

In a preliminary six-round match, Vanes Martirosyan (3-0, 1) of Glendale, a 2004 U.S. Olympian, will oppose Gerardo Prieto (4-2-1) of Mexico City.