AS FAR as Erik Morales is concerned, Manny Pacquiao’s camp is all bark, no bite.
He doesn’t see the Filipino ring idol winning in their celebrated rematch on Jan. 21 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, nor does the former world champion think that gloves of any brand would be a key to success.
For him, it’s the little things that you do before fight night that matters.
“He (Pacquiao) has a promoter and a trainer who spend a lot of time talking about what they’re going to do to me,” said Morales in his latest interview published on thesweetscience.com.
“Well, let’s put it up in the ring and see if their fighter is good enough to execute what they say they’re going to do to me.”
“You prepare yourself to win and that’s what I’m going to do,” he added. “Losing is not Erik Morales
a winner’s mentality, and all I’m thinking about is winning.”
So much has been said in post-fight analysis when Pacquiao lost by unanimous points decision to Morales on March 19, 2005. The gloves the Filipino ring idol wore that night was the biggest debate, and the cut Pacquiao suffered was another.
Pacquiao’s famous coach and trainer Freddie Roach said that it was like fighting with pillows. But Morales, it appears, is just fed up with all brouhaha.
“All I can tell you is I fought with both brands of gloves (Winning and Reyes) and I’ve knocked people out wearing both brands of gloves,” he said. “So I know the gloves doesn’t mean anything.”
“People don’t care what’s the name of the gloves. It really doesn’t matter.”
Morales, only the second Mexican to hold titles in three separate divisions after the legendary Julio Cesar Chavez, also belittled whatever fight plans Pacquiao and his aides have in store in the rematch dubbed as ‘The Battle.’
He brushed aside the restructured tactic Pacquiao will employ, which has been now open to everyone that Ring Magazine’s 2003 People’s Champion will come into the fight with a more aggressive strategy.
“I don’t back away from any fight. Their tactics will be ruined because I will always stay in front of Pacquiao, no matter what,” said Morales.
A well-known boxing writer, George Diaz of ringsidereport.com, also picked Morales to win but by only a close decision. He said in his article that the Mexican, regarded as the dean of bodywork, will rule the later rounds to offset Pacquiao’s dominance in the earlier rounds.
Morales’ verbal bombs against Pacquiao came at a time when the Filipino sensation made known that he would be an entirely different fighter in their scheduled 12-round bout for the WBC international super-featherweight crown.
“He (Morales) didn’t see the best of me the first time,” said Pacquiao, who has now added a new dimension into his career by releasing a recording album. “This time, I will win.”
Roach, the man responsible for molding Pacquiao to what he is now, said that his ward must keep off the ropes if ever Pacquiao wants to get a measure of revenge.
“During the first fight, Manny was pinned to the ropes a couple of times,” said Roach. “We don’t want that to happen this time. We’re going to fight more intelligently.”
Which is what many believe is the main reason why Pacquiao will pull off a knockout victory, contrary to what experts predict.
In the latest poll conducted at boxingscene.com, Pacquiao was picked to win by a knockout by 67.74 percent of the respondents, or 42 of the total 62.
Only 32 percent gave Morales a chance to repeat over Pacquiao, or merely 20 votes.
Pacquiao, who has a record of 43-3-2 (win-draw-loss) with 32 of his victories coming by knockouts, stands to receive the biggest paycheck of his career of $2 million.
