by Jake Donovan, photos by Stacey Verbeek

Erik Morales was over the limit for Saturday’s showdown with Danny Garcia (22-0, 14KOs), which headlines an HBO-televised doubleheader (10PM ET/PT) from Reliant Arena in Houston. As the scales read 142 lb. for what was supposed to be a 140 lb. title defense, Morales (52-7, 36KO) showed no desire to sweat off the remaining two pounds and opted to vacate the title. He is also forced to part with $50,000 of his purse, which will now to go to Garcia, who checked in at a chiseled 139.5 lb. for a bout that marks his first on HBO and for a title.

The principles in the televised co-feature did their job, as James Kirkland (30-1, 27KO) and Carlos Molina (19-4-2, 6KO) made weight for their billed junior middleweight title eliminator. Both fighters came in at 153 ¾ in what is yet another in a long line of elimination bouts in which someone will eventually be mandated to face current titlist Saul Alvarez.

In other weight-missing news, Jose Luis Castillo remained historically true to character in weighing more than two pounds over the contracted 145 lb. limit for his non-televised showdown with Jose Miguel Cotto. Castillo is of course infamous for twice missing weight against Diego “Chico” Corrales, including a blown attempt in what ultimately canceled their third fight.

As he continues on in a comeback that is purely financially driven, Castillo showed up at 147.7 lb to face Cotto, who came in at a professionally ready 144.5 lb. for their 10-round preliminary bout.

Jake Donovan is the Managing Editor of Boxingscene.com. Follow Jake on Twitter: @JakeNDaBox or submit questions/comments to JakeNDaBox@gmail.com .