LAS VEGAS ? A humbled Erik Morales had no excuses after losing to Manny Pacquiao in the climax of their super featherweight trilogy at the Thomas and Mack Center here Saturday night.
It was not typical of Morales to give credit to his conqueror. But the Mexican couldn?t do otherwise because his defeat was convincing, decisive and crushing. Morales was floored once in the second round and twice in the next before referee Vic Drakulich ended the one-sided affair at 2:57 of the third.
“He was too fast, too strong,” said Morales, quoted by Steve Springer of the Los Angeles Times. “I did everything necessary in camp to win this fight but it wasn?t my night.
In their second meeting last January, Morales went down twice in losing on a 10th round stoppage that he insisted was a result of a draining weight reduction program. He claimed Pacquiao never hurt him. Morales had never been stopped before.
Counting the knockdowns in the “Grand Finale,” Morales has taken five trips to the canvas in his last four rounds with Pacquiao. There?s no more concrete proof of who?s the superior fighter.
Asked if he thought of continuing the fight despite the two knockdowns in the rubber match, Morales sighed, “It was futile ? there was no point.”
“For the first time in my career, I actually felt the power of another opponent like I?ve never felt it before,” said Morales in the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “I was hurt by his punches.”
Fresh from suffering the stinging defeat, Morales said he is considering retirement. He has now lost his last three bouts and four of his last five ? clear indications of a career in the skids.
“Maybe it?s time to think about not doing this anymore,” Morales told HBO?s Larry Merchant in a TV interview. “I?m going to take some time off and think. I?ve had a great career and all these people were out there cheering for me. Maybe, it?s time to go home.”
Writer Kevin Iole said if the fight was Morales? last, “it will go down as one of the most memorable bouts in a career that will land him in the Hall of Fame ? he was in the fight of the year in 2000 and 2004 but never before in a bout with such sustained action over such a short period of time.”
But in a press conference about an hour after he was interviewed by Merchant in the ring, Morales sang a different tune. He surprised reporters by hinting he wasn?t through.
Jeff Haney of the Las Vegas Sun said Morales mentioned that he might fight again in his Tijuana hometown, not in a “megafight (setting) commanding international attention.” He even spoke of fighting Pacquiao again.
Morales said if he continues fighting, he won?t move up in weight. That means he?ll stay in the 130-pound division. He weighed in at 129 the day before the fight and 139 the day of the fight. Morales said his inability to take Pacquiao?s punches as a super featherweight means he?ll have more trouble taking punches at lightweight (135) or worse, super lightweight (140).
Morales said his losing streak is not a sign that he should retire.
“When my fans boo one of my fights, that?s telling me it?s time to quit but that hasn?t happened yet,” said Morales.
Iole said if Morales retires, it will be a big loss for boxing.
“He hasn?t feasted upon the usual collection of misfits that most pampered prospects have,” said Iole. “When it comes to meeting the best of his era, it?s been there, done that for Morales. He?ll tell you that reports of his demise are greatly exaggerated.”
Before Saturday?s fight, Morales said there was no way he would lose to Pacquiao.
“He isn?t faster, he isn?t stronger, he isn?t smarter,” said Morales. “I know his weaknesses and I know his strengths. He has no defense and no technique. He has never gotten better. His defense hasn?t gotten better because he?s getting hit with the same punches that always hit him. Even when I was tired (in the second fight), I was able to land my punches. He?s been the same fighter he?s always been.”
Pacquiao, however, made Morales eat his words in their third encounter.
Pacquiao?s trainer Freddie Roach said Morales has nothing left to prove and should quit before he gets badly hurt in the ring. Morales? publicist Ricardo Jimenez said the Mexican has enjoyed a brilliant career and it now appears time to hang up his gloves.
Still, Morales reserves the right to decide on his future which appears to be up in the air at the moment.
