LOS ANGELES — Erik Morales said Manny Pacquiao could be in for a lot of trouble on Saturday night against fellow Mexican Hector Velazquez during a chance encounter with the Bulletin.
“This is going to be a tough fight for both fighters,” Morales said through Top Rank Inc. publicist Ricardo Jimenez on Wednesday after arriving here on board a private plane from Toluca, Mexico. In the main event of this weekend’s show at Staples Center, Morales faces Zahir Raheem of the US.
“Velazquez is very, very tough,” said Morales.
Morales was joined by a handful of people at the lobby of the Wilshire Grand Hotel, early Wednesday evening, including his younger fighter Diego.
Informed about the odds that list the Filipino as an overwhelming – 1,000 favorite against the +600 Velazquez, Morales, who beat Pacquiao on points last March in Las Vegas, believes “those are just numbers” when in reality, Velazquez has what it takes to upset Pacquiao.
A wager of $100 for Velazquez would yield a winning of $600, while a hefty $1,000 bet has to be placed in favor of Pacquiao for it to win $100. The figures were provided by the MGM Grand sports book.
Morales said he wishes that Velazquez, who is also from the border town of Tijuana, prevails in the scheduled 12-round super-featherweight duel.
“I would like the Mexican to win,” Morales said. “It’s not because I don’t want to fight Pacquiao again. It’s just that I am Mexican like Velazquez, so I like to see him win.”
Morales and Pacquiao are being eyed to bump into each other anew on Jan. 21, 2006 in Las Vegas. But they both have to hurdle past their respective foes to formalize their grudge rematch.
