Top Rank Inc. promoter Bob Arum told widely respected international referee Bruce McTavish that he and promoter Murad Muhammad have ?a done deal? for a blockbuster February showdown between Erik ?El Terrible? Morales and Ring Magazine featherweight champion Manny Pacquiao.
The information was relayed to Manila Standard by McTavish upon his return to his home in Angeles City from Phuket, Thailand, where he attended the World Boxing Council convention.
McTavish said Arum told him the February fight was against Morales not Juan Manuel Marquez as originally announced and that although they only had ?a verbal agreement,? it was in Arum?s words ?a done deal.?
McTavish said the Pacquiao-Morales fight is premised on Morales beating Marco Antonio Barrera in their Nov. 27 third encounter.
Pacquiao is scheduled to have a tune-up fight against Guyana-born and Perth-based Australian Gairy St. Clair on Dec. 4 in Manila.
St. Clair told the newspaper Melbourne Age: ?He (Pacquiao) is tough and strong but we?ve been training tremendously hard in Western Australia and I am ready for anyone in the world and I will definitely beat Pacquiao.?
International Boxing Federation vice president Ray Wheatley said the fight with Pacquiao was ?a great opportunity? for St. Clair, who has been a longtime main sparring partner of Kostya Tszyu.
Wheatley described St. Clair as ?a brilliant boxer who benefited enormously from his years sparring with Kostya. He hasn?t lost in four years and his only defeats have been points decisions to three world champions ? Diego Corrales, Vivian Harris and Leonard Dorin.?
Harry?s Gym, where St. Clair trains, ran an article on its Web site which referred to Pacquiao as ?boxing?s most ferocious featherweight? and said Pacquiao ?is regarded by many experts as the greatest Asian boxer of all time and is certainly one of the most exciting fighters in the world today.?
