LAS VEGAS ? Without really trying, Erik Morales threw his weight around Thursday?s press conference.
At the packed Cox Concourse of the Thomas and Mack Center here, the crafty Mexican boxer simply refused to let a weighty issue die down.
“Three months ago a lot of people didn?t believe that I?d make the weight, especially Freddie Roach (Manny Pacquiao?s trainer). All he kept talking about was my weight, my weight, my weight,” he said through Top Rank?s Ricardo Jimenez.
Roach, who?s gotten into a word war with Morales in the months, weeks and days leading to this fight, sat just a few chairs from Morales. He rubbed his neck as the Mexican spoke.
“So, I think it?s easier to talk than to act,” added Morales.
His left hand motioning toward Roach, Morales reminded everybody present that Bobby Pacquiao, younger brother of Manny and another Roach prot?g?, failed to make the weight Wednesday for a fight against another Mexican, Hector Velasquez.
“Yesterday one of his fighters failed to make the weight,” said Morales, adding that Roach, instead of thinking about his (Morales?) weight, should think of the weight of his boxers.
Then Morales, before turning over the microphone to Bob Arum, declared that he?s going to win his bout against Manny Pacquiao on Saturday (Sunday noon in Manila) at the Thomas and Mack Center.
“I?m going to win on Saturday. And there are two reasons why. First, it?s for the people who want me to win, and second, it?s for the people who don?t want me to win,” he said.
Pacquiao, from his chair, briefly stared at Morales then faced the audience.
“There?s been a lot of speculation about his weight. Now there?s no more speculation. He?s right here. He?s in great shape and on Saturday he?s going to win the fight,” said Fernando Beltran, Morales? manager.
A few ticks later, it was Pacquiao?s turn to speak.
He was at his usual self – cool, calm and collected.
“I?m not the type of boxer who would say anything bad about my opponent. Erik Morales is in good condition and I know he will make the weight. I just want to have a good fight and make people happy,” said Pacquiao.
The Filipino ring icon remained the solid favorite, going -270 that a $270 bet for Pacquiao would only win a hundred bucks. Morales is at +230, a $100 wager winning $230.
The official weigh-in is scheduled Friday at the same Thomas and Mack Center. The weight issue will have to come to an end the moment the two boxers are weighed.
Morales, reportedly at 165 four months ago, agreed to a fight contract that he?d pay Pacquiao $500,000 for every excess pound. Thin but not haggard, he looked even more dangerous each time he smiled during the press conference.
“I agree that it?s not about the weight but the heart.
And I agree that Erik Morales will be at his best. But it won?t be enough,” said Pacquiao?s manager, Shelly Finkel.
Roach just spoke for a minute.
“I don?t have much to say except that Manny has been in the best training camp of his career and he?s in the best shape of his life,” he said.
