LAS VEGAS ? Talks about a rematch are starting to move around here.
But if you think that it?s going to be between Manny Pacquiao and Erik Morales, who faced off in a bloody 12-round war last Saturday at the packed MGM Grand, think again.
Because talks about a rematch are that between Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez, another Mexican matador whom the Filipino slugger met in a classic 12-round draw last May also at the MGM Grand.
“Know what?” a Top Rank representative asked a couple of Filipino scribes during the Pacquiao-Morales post-match press briefing at the ballroom, “that Pacquiao-Marquez (II) is more likely to happen than Pacquiao-Morales.”
It?s not official, of course, but coming from the Top Rank representative, it should be worth considering.
Pacquiao said he?s ready for a rematch ? be it against Marquez or Morales.
In fact, he talked about the two fighters inside his suite as the Las Vegas sun was about to shine Sunday morning.
“Sino ang mas-mahirap kalaban? Hindi ko maisip. Pero si Morales, mautak din kagaya ni Marquez,” said Pacquiao in an interview held past four in the morning in his suite where special visitors were coming in and out mindless of the time.
It?s a normal operating procedure after a fight, especially after a fight like this one, that boxers stay up until the morning and let the body cool down.
Pacquiao had just come home from a party with Vegas-based Pinoys, wearing blue jeans and a yellow No Fear jacket when interviewed. His face bore the wounds of the fight which he lost via unanimous decision.
He had a swollen right eye, a couple of nice and clean stitches over his eyebrow which was cut in the fifth round, and welts in his forehead and chin.
“Mahirap talaga ang boksingero noh?” he asked those interviewing him.
“Kikita ka nga ng milyon-milyon, ganito naman ang mangyayari sa mukha mo,” he continued, smiling a bit and, at times, wearing a blank face, probably thinking about the fight he just had with Morales.
“Kung hindi lang ako naputukan, iba sana ang nangyari noh? Anong tingin niyo sa laban? Ang ganda noh?” he said, answering his own questions.
A rematch with Marquez would mean Pacquiao would scale down to 126 lbs or the featherweight class from the 130 or super-featherweight where Morales belongs.
“Mahirap na kasi mag-feather,” he said. “Parang mas-gusto ko na dito sa 130. Pero tingnan natin.”
Of course, if and when an offer comes for a rematch with Marquez, Pacquiao will have to weigh his thoughts about it and might just consider moving back as a featherweight.
After tipping the scales at 129 lbs in Friday?s official weigh-in, Pacquiao climbed the ring against Morales at 141 lbs.
“Isipin mo, mahigit 10 pounds sa isang araw. Mga 144 pa nga daw kasi nag-timbang ako naka pantalon at sapatos,” he said.
Morales, 130 during the official weigh-in, may have weighed at least 145 pounds climbing the ring against Pacquiao. He looked more like a welterweight.
“Sayang talaga. Tinatamaan ko naman siya ng malalakas at alam kong na-groggy din dahil nakikita ko sa tuhod niya. Baluktot na din. Pero mautak. Nagkukunyaring hindi nasasaktan,” he said.
Pacquiao admitted that he made a mistake by not jumping on the Mexican ring craftsman at the opening bell.
“Nag-pacing kasi ako. Nung nag-decide akong pasukin sa fifth round, na-headbutt naman ako. Malakas ang tamaan. Parang sinahod niya ng ulo niya ang mukha ko. Tapos may naramdaman akong mainit. Alam kong dugo na. Sabi ko sa sarili ko, tapos,” he added.
“Pero ano namang mukha ang ihaharap ko sa Pilipinas kung aayaw ako. Kaya kahit anong mangyari, tinapos ko ang laban,” he added.
After staying here in the US for almost three months, Pacquiao will come home soon, definitely, with his head held high.
