Erik Morales and Manny Pacquiao, who were involved in a classic super featherweight scrap recently, are expected to meet for a third time; probably in September this year. Morales has, in terms of the contract for their fight last month, exercised his right to have a return match against the man who stopped him in the tenth round of their Las Vegas bout.
Pacquiao became the first fighter to stop Morales, a three-time world champion, and many expected Morales to retire after the loss.
Pacquiao has welcomed the challenge to make it 2-1 and feels Morales, who beat him in their first bout, is still good enough for another great fight.
However, Morales has lost three of his last four fights and some critics feel he cannot improve on his latest performance.
The third fight will be at a catchweight limit of 58,96 kg and could take place in Las Vegas on September 16.
Before facing Morales, Pacquiao may have another fight in his home country, the Philippines.
Snippets
Randy Suico, 24-2 (21), who lost to South Africa’s Mzonke Fana in 2004, retained his OPBF junior lightweight belt when stopped Ryuhei Sugita, 30-3-2 (22), in the fourth round in Nagoya, Japan, on Sunday.
Former WBC flyweight champion Malcolm Tunacao, 19-1-3 (13), fighting at bantamweight, fought a disputed draw with Kohei Ohba, 13-0-1 (8), over 12 rounds on the same card.
Germany’s WBO light heavyweight champion Zsolt Erdei is scheduled to meet WBA champion Fabrice Tiozzo in a unification bout on May 6 or 27. The venue has still to be decided.
Cesar Bazan, 44-7-1 (29), meets Eleazar Contreras, 27-14-2 (10), in San Antonio, Texas, on Friday night.
IBF and WBA junior welterweight champion Ricky Hatton may move up to welterweight to challenge WBC champion Carlos Baldomir in the US on May 13.
However, Hatton may also clinch a fight with WBO junior welterweight champion Miguel Cotto at Madison Square Garden, New York, on June 10.
It has also been speculated that the Briton could take on IBF mandatory challenger Naoufel Ben Rabah or Acelino Freitas.
The New York medical suspension of Evander Holyfield has been lifted and he now plans a return to the ring. He says he won’t quit until he unifies the heavyweight titles.
It has been reported that the International Olympic Committee is threatening to drop amateur boxing from the Olympic Games unless reforms are made in scoring and the selection of officials.
