Carlos Prates has stated he would choose to face Michael Morales if required to take one more bout before challenging for a title. Prates explained the matchup makes sense because he is ranked number one and Morales is ranked number two in the welterweight division.
Carlos Prates has publicly named Michael Morales as his preferred opponent if he is required to take one more welterweight fight before earning a title shot.
Prates, a 32-year-old Brazilian fighting out of Vale Top Team, holds a 24-7 record and currently sits at number five in the welterweight rankings. Standing six-foot-one with a 78-inch reach, the switch-stance striker known as "The Nightmare" lands 3.77 significant strikes per minute at an impressive 55 percent accuracy — a finishing rate that has made him one of the division's most dangerous stand-up threats. His reasoning for targeting Morales was straightforward: he described the fight as a natural match between the top two ranked contenders in the division.
Morales, however, is ranked number two, while Prates sits at number five according to verified divisional standings, meaning the Brazilian's self-assessment of rankings appears to differ from the current official picture. The 27-year-old Ecuadorian remains undefeated at 19-0 and represents one of the most compelling prospects in the welterweight class. Fighting out of Entram Gym with a 79-inch reach, Morales generates an eye-catching 5.62 significant strikes per minute and also contributes on the ground with 1.09 takedowns per 15 minutes, giving him a well-rounded profile that complicates gameplans across the board.
Why it matters
- A Prates versus Morales fight would pit two of the division's most active strikers against each other, with contrasting volume and accuracy profiles.
- Morales's unbeaten record and higher divisional ranking give the matchup genuine title-eliminator stakes.
- The winner would build a compelling case for a welterweight championship opportunity, making this callout one of the more meaningful in the division right now.
