Ring Magazine and International Boxing Association featherweight champion Manny Pacquiao showed his courageous Filipino heart and incredible gallantry but they were not enough.
Pacquiao failed to overcome a nasty cut suffered because of a Round 5 head-butt that impaired his vision in an epic 12-round war with Erik ?El Terrible? Morales, who scored a unanimous decision and reestablished the Mexican as one of the truly great champions of our time.
Over 20,000 people packed the MGM Grand Garden Arena, which usually holds just over 14,000 fight fans. They witnessed an enthralling encounter between the bigger, more experienced Morales and the little Filipino southpaw, who fired the imagination of boxing fans and won the respect and admiration of Morales as well as Mexicans, with many boxing writers saying this was an early favorite for Fight of the Year.
A huge contingent of top officials from the Philippines, led by First Gentleman Mike Arroyo waved Philippine flags and chanted Pacquiao?s name as the fighters entered the ring and for the first time at the MGM Grand, the Mexican fight fans may have outnumbered the Filipinos but failed to drown out their impassioned cheers for the poor boy from General Santos City, who has become a national treasure.
Among those at ringside were former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, who had picked Pacquiao to win, and all-time Mexican great Julio Cesar Chavez.
All three judges Paul Smith, Dave Moretti and Chuck Giampa turned in identical scorecards of 115-113 for Morales, who won seven rounds as against five by Pacquiao.
Heroic effort
In one last heroic effort with blood streaming down his face, Pacquiao launched a furious assault in the final round and staggered Morales, but failed to put him away. Pacquiao knew he had lost the fight and his anguish at the disappointment suffered by 80 million Filipinos was clearly etched on his face.
However, to the credit of the huge contingent of Filipinos, many of whom paid $400 for a ringside ticket, not one criticized Pacquiao.
They were, together with Mexican boxing fans and Americans, full of praise for Pacquiao and his gallantry.
A rematch late this year
Top Rank chairman Bob Arum, who promoted the blockbuster fight card along with international promoter Murad Muhammad of M&M Sports, told Manila Standard Today, that Pacquiao won the hearts of boxing fans all over the world with his gallant stand and said the performance of the flamboyant Filipino earned him the right to a rematch.
?I would advise Pacquiao to get his eye treated, take a rest and then perhaps we could talk about a rematch even later this year,? Arum said, hinting that a trilogy similar to that between Morales and Marco Antonio Barrera was ?quite possible.?
In the post-fight press conference, Morales praised Pacquiao as ?a true warrior? and said he had ?great speed, was strong and had power.?
Were the gloves a factor?
But while Pacquiao thanked the fans and said they were treated to a great fight, trainer Freddie Roach regrettably used the occasion to raise the issue of the gloves and claimed that the next time Pacquiao fights, he would use the Cleto Reyes gloves, which had less padding and were regarded as a puncher?s gloves, instead of the more expensive Winning gloves.
One Mexican sportswriter said: ?If Morales wore Reyes gloves, Pacquiao would have been knocked out since he was in trouble on at least two occasions in the fight,? when Morales nailed him with vicious rights.
The stirring rendition of the Philippine national anthem by diva Lani Misalucha fired up the huge Philippine contingent, which also included Games and Amusements Board chairman Eric Buhain, Gov. Chavit Singson, who visited Pacquiao at his hotel suite before he left for the fight where the Filipinos headed by business manager Rod Nazario recited the rosary and prayed for Pacquiao.
Also at ringside, looking dapper in a suit was popular movie star Cesar Montano, who was up on his feet cheering Pacquiao, especially when he went after Morales with both fists blazing in the final round.
Morales improved to 48-2 with 34 KOs while Pacquiao dropped to 39-3-2 with 30 KOs.
Impaired vision
Cutman Leny de Jesus had to be commended for doing a great job to stop the cut from getting worse and bleeding too much. In fact, Pacquiao had to leave the post-fight press conference to go to a hospital to get the cut sewn up.
?It wasn?t such a bad cut but it impaired Manny?s vision,? said De Jesus.
At the same time, the veteran who is considered one of the best in the business said Morales fought an intelligent fight, which could be his best so far.
?Erik can?t improve anymore, but Manny is young and has so much potential to grow. One thing for sure, you?ve got to love this kid for his courage and gallantry.?
What the computer says
In terms of the Compu Box stats, Pacquiao threw more punches than Morales, 894 to 714 but Morales connected with 265 to Pacquiao?s 217 for a percentage disparity of 37 percent to 24 percent.
Pacquiao also threw more jabs, 349 to 303 but connected only with 34 whereas Morales, using his reach to his advantage, connected with 96 to Pacquiao?s 34 with a 32 to 10 percent advantage for the Mexican.
Even in terms of power punches, Pacquiao threw 545 to 411 by Morales but again Morales was ahead on percentages, 41 to 34.
In the opening bout of the evening, Oriental no. 1-ranked super flyweight Z ?The Dream? Gorres made an impressive US debut scoring a TKO victory over highly touted Fil-Am Glenn Donaire at 2:03 seconds of the very first round.
Gorres, who is trained by two-time world champion Buddy McGirt, dropped Donaire with a solid body shot early in the round but the referee ruled that the heads clashed and gave Donaire time to recover.
