LAS VEGAS, United States (AFP) – Former champions Erik Morales of Mexico and Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines face off on Saturday in what promises to be an explosive super featherweight showdown.
Morales, a native of Tijuana, Mexico, is coming off his second defeat in two years, to Marco Antonio Barrera, a man Pacquiao punished en route to an 11th-round technical knock-out in 2003.
Prior to his latest loss in November, Morales had held both the World Boxing Council featherweight and super featherweight crowns.
He said he knew he would have his hands full with Pacquiao, himself a former two-weight world champion.
“Manny Pacquiao is a warrior who has a lot of power,” Morales said. “I know that he has confidence because he already fought Barrera and (Juan Manuel) Marquez, but we are very, very different. There is a lot of difference between us and those other fighters.
Southpaw Pacquiao, who has a record of 39 victories (31 knockouts) with two defeats and two draws, has shown a consistent ability to get inside opponents with blinding speed.
Just two of his last 11 bouts – during which Pacquiao has gone 9-0-2 – have lasted more than six rounds. Those two featured his win over Barrera in November 2003, in which Barrera’s corner threw in the towel, and a draw with Marquez last May, in which Marquez survived three first-round knockdowns.
“Pacquiao knocks (Marquez) down three times, but for some strange reason one of the judges forgot how to add,” Pacquiao’s promoter Murad Muhammad said of the draw. “That’s OK, because controversy makes our sport. We feel we beat Marquez.”
Morales brings a record of 47 victories (34 knockouts) and two losses.
Morales and Pacquiao headline a card that also features World Boxing Council super flyweight champion Martin Castillo defending his title against Puerto Rico’s Eric Morel, a former flyweight champion.
