LAS VEGAS — Erik Morales is coming off a shocking defeat, which is when he appears most vulnerable — and most dangerous. If anyone understands that, it should be Manny Pacquiao.
Nearly a year ago, Pacquiao learned this lesson in harsh fashion when his right eye was ripped open by Morales, who won the World Boxing Council featherweight title by unanimous decision. Leading up to that confrontation, Morales lost the rubber match of his trilogy with longtime rival Marco Antonio Barrera in 2004.
Before the Morales fight, Pacquiao was overconfident in his punching power but saddled with managerial and promotional problems. He is facing a similar circumstance in tonight’s rematch at the Thomas and Mack Center. Morales is coming off a loss to Zahir Raheem in Morales’s first foray into the lightweight division.
Morales quickly returned to 130 pounds to challenge Pacquiao, so he holds the size advantage over Pacquiao. Even Pacquiao’s trainer, Freddie Roach, acknowledges he’s better suited to compete at 126 pounds. Yet, despite the loss to Morales last March and the size problem, Pacquiao’s camp believes it has the answers this time.
”I’m more focused on the fight,” said Pacquiao (40-3-2, 32 KOs). ”None of the distractions from the last fight over rooms, tickets, and gloves. I trained in peace, knowing my team is looking out for me. I believe this time I will knock him out.”
Morales (48-3, 34 KOs) has mocked the glove controversy that has dogged this promotion. Pacquiao insists on wearing Reyes gloves because he feels they give him more punching power. Morales believes there are more pressing issues.
”The gloves are a side issue,” Morales said. ”I am going to be wearing gloves when I go into the ring whether it be Winning [gloves] or Reyes. It doesn’t matter. As long as people see a lot of leather flying, I don’t think they care which name is on the gloves.
”The gloves don’t mean anything. It’s how hard a puncher you are.”
If Morales is right, he will surely triumph again, for few fighters in his weight class are as resilient, relentless, and ruthless. Last time they met, the pressure Morales put on Pacquiao seemed to frazzle the former featherweight and super bantamweight champion, who staged a late rally.
At 29, Morales has been in the midst of many fistic wars and many fight insiders believe those fights have taken a toll on him. Pacquiao and Roach said they intend to increase the pressure on Morales, making him fight when he wants to rest.
Morales has heard such threats before however, but only Barrera and Raheem made good on such plans. Morales fervently believes when the story is written, sometime around midnight, the ending will be the same for Pacquiao.
”They can say all they want that they’re going to be more aggressive, but they are not fighting by themselves,” Morales said. ”Everybody has a plan, but you still have to do it up in that ring. If they make adjustments, I probably will have to risk more, but I don’t feel after the first fight that he is strong enough to knock me out.
”When you look at the first fight, you see the abilities I have to do things that he can’t do. I know he’s strong. I know he’s fast. I know he’s a good fighter. But I also learned he’s not as strong as a lot of people think. One of his keys has been to intimidate people in the ring. I don’t get intimidated.”
