MORALES-HERNANDEZ “UNIFICATION” July 31

18.05.04 – Erik ‘El Terrible’ Morales and Carlos ‘Famoso’ Hernandez will put their world titles on the line and fight for “Unification” at MGM Grand Garden Arena on Saturday, July 31 live on pay-per-view. Morales, from Tijuana, is the World Boxing Council (WBC) super featherweight world champion. Hernandez, from El Salvador, is the IBF champion in the same weight division. “Two champions who give it their all,” said Bob Arum, President of Top Rank. “This is what compelling boxing is all about.”

“Top Rank has put together a great summer night pay-per-view card filled with champions and future hall-of-fame fighters”, said HBO Pay-Per-View Senior Vice President Mark Taffet. “It is a special treat for boxing fans to have the opportunity to see Erik Morales, Carlos Hernandez and Johnny Tapia on one action-packed night.”

Morales vs. Hernandez is scheduled for 12 rounds of championship action. The Top Rank title card will also include the return of former world champion Johnny Tapia of Albuquerque, N.M.

The Top Rank card will be televised on HBO Pay-Per-View.

Morales, 46-1 with 34 knockouts, is a three-time WBC champion, holding titles at 122, 126 and 130 pounds. He is regarded as a brave, fierce warrior who is one of the great champions of our time. Morales has wins over Marco Antonio Barrera, Jesus ‘El Matador’ Chavez, Paulie Ayala, Guty Espadas, Wayne McCullough, Junior Jones, Jose Luis Bueno, Daniel Zaragoza and Hector Acero-Sanchez.

Hernandez, 40-3-1 with 24 KOs, became El Salvador’s first world boxing champion in February, 2003. He says he is eager to take on Morales in this unification world championship bout.

“My country has suffered a lot but thank God I am the first champion from El Salvador” said Hernandez. “I have motivation and strength from my people. I will fight Morales with all my heart and with all of my countrymen rooting for me.”

Tapia, a long-time champion who has been in many riveting title fights, will be featured on this HBO Pay-Per-View. He is scheduled to box in a 10-round bout. Tapia, 53-4-2 with 28 knockouts, lives and trains in Albuqeurque, N.M.

Tickets priced at $300, $200, $100, $75 and $50 not including applicable service
charges, go on sale Friday, May 28 at 10:00 am at the MGM Grand Garden Arena box office. Tickets will also be sold at all Las Vegas Ticketmaster locations
(Tower Records, Smith’s Food and Drug Centers, Robinsons-May stores and
Ritmo Latino locations).

Ticket sales are limited to (8) per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (702) 474-4000. Tickets are also available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com

For room packages, availability and event ticket information about MGM Grand, call (800) 929-1111 or (702) 891-7777 or log onto the World Wide Web at www.mgmgrand.com

The Morales vs. Hernandez pay-per-view telecast, beginning at 9pm ET/6pm PT on July 31st, has a suggested retail price of $39.95, will be distributed by HBO Pay-Per-View and will be available to over 48 million pay-per-view homes. HBO Pay-Per-View is the leading supplier of event programming to the pay-per-view industry. For more event information log on to www.HBOPPV.com