Raheem Surprises Morales

Was it too much weight? Was it too many wars? Or was it simply too much Zahir Raheem?

Whatever the cause, Erik Morales, looking sluggish, ineffective and weak in his first fight at 135 pounds, was upset by Raheem on a unanimous decision Saturday night at Staples Center.

This was supposed to be a double tuneup for a Morales-Manny Pacquiao rematch Jan. 21. Pacquiao did his part in the first half of Saturday’s co-main event, winning a six-round TKO victory over Hector Velazquez.

And promoters Bob Arum and Gary Shaw did their part as well, announcing after the Morales-Raheem fight that Morales and Pacquiao would indeed meet on Jan. 21 in a rematch, Morales having won their first fight by unanimous decision last March.

But what about Raheem, the guy who won?

He got a nice pat on the back, a belt for a World Boxing Council concoction called the international lightweight championship and was encouraged to stay in touch.

The three judges in the fight were Raul Caiz (115-113), James Jen Kin (116-112) and Julie Lederman (118-110).

“Raheem clearly won the fight. And this will only enhance him as a fighter,” Arum said.

Said Raheem, who is 27-1 with 16 knockouts: “I beat a legend. I always believed in myself. I just needed an opportunity like this. I stepped up all aspects of my game.”

Asked if he had studied tapes of Morales (48-3, 34), a three-time world champion, Raheem said, “I’ve been watching him all my life.”

The most damaging blow of the match was a right hand by Raheem in the fifth round that contorted Morales’ face and sent him staggering across the ring, where he slumped up against the ropes.

“Raheem is a difficult fighter to face,” Morales said. “He never really wanted to fight. He threw punches and moved away. I had a difficult time catching up to him.

“But I thought I did enough to win.”

Morales had a difficult time just getting into the ring. Although the fight was in the 135-pound division, the contract called for both men to weigh 134. Morales was 134 1/4 when he first stepped on the scale at Friday’s weigh-in. He soon returned, having shed the quarter of a pound.

But he never looked comfortable in the ring with the added weight. Gone was the energy and punching power that have long been his trademarks.

But Morales has had a series of brutal fights, referred to as wars in boxing terminology, and perhaps that has begun to take its toll.

Pacquiao (40-3-2, 31) started out slowly against Velazquez (42-11-2, 31), but he came on strong as the fight progressed.

By the end of the sixth round, Pacquiao had Velazquez helpless on the ropes. Pacquiao peppered Velazquez with five unanswered punches, Velazquez falling to one knee a second before the bell sounded to end the round.

Referee Lou Moret kept counting. Velazquez just barely beat the count, staggering up on unsteady feet.

When he continued staggering across the ring, Moret indicated the fight was over.

“His body was gone,” Moret said. “I looked in his eyes and saw that. If I had let it continue, he could have gotten hurt.”

Said Pacquiao: “I need to get to Morales. I can beat him.”

As for Raheem, he hopes he has also set himself up for a big fight with Saturday’s victory.

If anybody noticed.