The time is near. We must choose a winner. Will Pacman gobble up Morales once more? Will El Terrible be the comeback kid?
Crystal balls anyone?
Franklin McNeil says:
That Erik Morales understands the significance this fight will have on his career makes him more dangerous, but Manny Pacquiao is always 100 percent ready and never takes an opponent lightly. For that reason Pacquiao will be just as strong as he was in the
second bout, maybe stronger. Morales seems to be having less difficulty this time losing weight. This should help him retain energy for a fight that is sure to be action-packed.
The rubber match will be exciting, just like the previous two, but it won’t go the distance. Pacquiao’s strength and nonstop attack will again prove too much for Morales.
The pick: Pacquiao ends it in nine.
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Kieran Mulvaney says:
Oh dear. Oh my. Do I really have to make a pick? The easy, knee-jerk reflex response is to pick Pacquiao to overwhelm Morales by mid-to-late round KO, based on the last fight, and on the perceptions of Morales? decline. But it has always been dangerous to pick against Morales on the basis of his previous performance?or even, in this instance, the fact that he has now lost three of his last four. Morales is in better shape than last time, I believe he may actually be hungrier and more determined than last time, and Pacquiao is once more surrounded by the kind of swirling distractions that affected him first time out. I also think Morales is a better boxer than Pacquiao, as he has shown in the previous contests, I believe. If Morales has nothing left?or at least, not enough to operate at this level any more?then Pacquiao will drop him and stop him again, and one of the greatest fighters of our era will face calls to ride into the sunset. But if he has just enough for one last stand ?
Oh, what the hell. I?ll go out on a limb. Morales SD12.
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Todd Thorps says:
If Morales is in shape and focused, he should do significantly better than was the case earlier this year. Sucking off so much weight for the previous fight left ?El Terrible? draw and definitely weaker as the fight reached the later rounds. If the change in training and dietary regimen works, he should have a better chance of winning.
The problem is that it may not matter. Pacquiao is now a legitimate junior lightweight ? that wasn?t the case when he lost a 12-round decision to Morales in 2005 ? and his power has moved up in weight with him. He showed in his win over Oscar Larios that he?s capable of pounding out a decision, as well, probably 116-112.
Pacquiao by decision
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Ian Palmer says:
To be honest, I?d rather be making this prediction after the weigh in as that could tell a lot about this fight. Will Morales make the weight, and if he doesn?t, will he just pay per pound, or make a serious attempt to lose it? A drained Morales will be heading for trouble as Pacquiao?s relentless style will overwhelm him, but if he makes the weight comfortably, I think he?ll actually be in the driver?s seat for this one.
There?s no rhyme or reason to my guess here, but I just have a feeling that Morales is going to pull this one out of the hat by a late stoppage or close unanimous decision. If I had to bet the farm on it, and thankfully I don?t, because it?s really a toss up here, I?d be leaning towards Morales by a late TKO. Whatever way it goes, if this bout?s half as good as their first two we?ll be in for a treat on Saturday night.
Morales wins.
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Lyle Fitzsimmons says:
Morales W12 Pacquiao
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Nat Gottlieb says:
Morales has fought the best of his generation, and is the complete package as a fighter. As such, he is superior on paper to Pacquiao, a predictable fighter who has trouble when forced to box. Pacquiao has only two future Hall of Famers on his resume, Morales and Barrera. It all comes down to conditioning. Morales beat Pacquiao in the first fight, was winning after six rounds when his lack of conditioning kicked in and he hit a wall. That, more than Pacquiao beat him. All signs indicated Morales will be in the best shape of his career. That could be scary.
Morales has not knocked anybody out in three years, but I?m betting a top-conditioned Eric Morales will beat Pacquiao.
Morales by TKO 10th
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Shawn Krest says:
For the past two weeks, TigerBoxing.com has been running ?Best of? articles showing you our coverage of the first two bouts between these warriors. If the retro-coverage proves anything, it?s that I cannot predict the outcome of Pacquiao-Morales with any accuracy. With that caveat in mind, I am going against all conventional wisdom and picking Erik Morales to once again respond to career adversity, surviving a late knockdown to win.
Morales 114-113.
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Tom Thompson says:
For a rubber match bout with both boxers having a win each, I would normally pick the winner of the third fight by picking the guy who has the most to lose. Both men have a lot to lose here, but Erik Morales has the most to lose.
The first Pacquiao bout has been Erik’s only significant win in years. He’s lost to Barrera, Raheem and Pacquiao as of late and perhaps the Mexican spark plug has been in one too many battles. He’ll be in the best shape of his career for this fight and he desperately wants to avenge his TKO loss to Pacman.
But I am going against my normal criteria this time by picking Pacquiao to win. I think the first six rounds will be brutal with Erik doing all he can to get his man out of there. But it won’t be enough and somewhere between the sixth and ninth rounds, he’ll realize that the gig is up. I’m not saying I think Erik will fold his tent, but I do think he’ll realize that he can’t beat Pacquiao a second time and then will then box his way to finishing the fight on his feet.
Pacquiao by UD 12 (7-4-1 in rounds)
