Ayala sizes up Morales

Ayala has a reputation for throwing lots of punches

By James Blears BBC Sport Online

Looking at Paulie Ayala in Mexico City was enough to convince a host of boxing experts that he will struggle against Erik Morales when the two clash in Las Vegas on 16 November.

But Ayala, who has twice defeated the rugged Johnny Tapia, is not one to let a height difference intimidate him. The 32-year-old veteran has won the WBA's bantamweight title and the spurious IBO superbantamweight championship, suffering just one defeat in 34 fights.

Erik is certainly a well rounded boxer and a big puncher, but he's never fought a left handed fighter like myself

Paulie Ayala

Morales, who controversially lost to countryman Marco Antonio Barrera in June, has an otherwise unblemished record of 41 bouts with an impressive 31 knockouts.

Ayala will be only the second world-class southpaw Morales has faced as a professional and has something special planned for his opponent.

"Erik is certainly a well rounded boxer and a big puncher, but he's never fought a left handed fighter like myself because I'm not a traditional type of southpaw," Ayala told BBC Sport Online.

"I've already faced and defeated Johnny Tapia, Clarance 'Bones' Adams and Johnny Bredahl, all of whom had excellent boxing skills, so Erik might be equal in that department, but I doubt he'll be better.

"What I saw from his two fights with Marco Antonio Barrera, I see spots on the inside where I can capitalise.

"Marco doesn't have my kind of speed, so I'm going to be able to take advantage and do some things that even he could not do."

Ayala dismissed speculation he lacks body weight to fight a fully-fledged featherweight.

He pointed out: "Erik actually started as a bantamweight as well, and the second time I defeated Tapia we were fighting as featherweights.

"My body has matured and it's time to fully move up to the featherweight limit. I've kind of held this back a while only because there was no real opportunity for any titles. But now there is."

Ayala has, since his first triumph against Tapia in 1999, prepared for each fight with a three-month training routine.

I would have no problem at all with fighting either Naseem Hamed or Wayne McCullough

Paulie Ayala

"This is going to be an exciting fight, which will fully meet the expectations of the fans. Our styles will complement each other and be assured, there won't be a lull in the action."

Ayala also expressed more than a passing interest in potential British opponents.

"I would have no problem at all with fighting either Naseem Hamed or Wayne McCullough.

"At one time when I was North American Boxing Federation bantamweight champion, I was campaigning to fight Wayne.

"This would be a really good fight, and I would see no problems in taking on the Prince either."