FREDDIE ROACH is wishing Erik Morales ?good luck? in his rubber match with Manny Pacquiao in November.
“I just wish Erik Morales good luck, because on Nov. 18, he?s gonna need it,” Roach told the leading website fightnews.com a few days after the Mexican fighter hurled invectives at the American trainer on the Internet.
In a lengthy interview, an angry Roach warded off criticisms thrown against the Filipino southpaw by Morales although the Los Angeles-based cornerman theorizes that it was not the boxer himself who uttered those unsavory remarks but his trash-talking Mexican manager Fernando Beltran.
Meantime, Pacquiao?s lawyer is confident that the GenSan fighter will soon sign the contract for his upcoming fight with icon Morales.
According to Pacquiao?s Filipino lawyer Franklin Gacal, the superstar boxer reiterated his desire to sign the dotted line and fight Morales in November.
Gacal admitted that Pacquiao is asking for a -million fight purse which, according to the lawyer, is only a minor hitch in their contract deal.
At the moment, the contract in their possession only guarantees Pacquiao .5 million for his third fight with Morales on Nov. 18 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
“Manny will sign the contract. He just took care of few more commitments before we finally discuss and finalize the deal,” said Gacal.
Pacquiao?s recent health problem also contributed in the delay of the boxers busy schedule.
Gacal and Pacquiao, along with Cebuano promoter Wakee Salud were to meet last night and discuss the issue.
Gacal also reiterated an urgency to finalize everything as HBO has informed the promoters that several major sports promotions are angling for the Nov. 18 date.
One of them is a vastly popular mixed-martial arts events that recently signified a strong bid to acquire the same date with HBO.
Gacal disclosed that Pacquiao is set to leave for the United States anytime within the first week of August to deliver personally the signed contract.
Both Pacquiao and Morales are about to settle the score of their storied rivalry that may go down as one of the most exciting trilogies in the history of the sport.
In July last year, Morales scored a close but deserving unanimous verdict over Pacquiao in Las Vegas. But Pacquiao exacted revenge last January by pulverizing the proud Mexican via 10th round stoppage also in Las Vegas.
Although it was obvious that he had to go through a lot of sacrifices making the 130-lb limit in the devastating loss to Pacquiao, Morales vows to conquer the scales and get back at Pacquiao.
A team of dietitians and weight reduction experts have been hired by Top Rank to make sure Morales, 29, goes into the fight in terrific shape.
Unlike Morales, Pacquiao, 27, feels very comfortable at the super-featherweight class of 130 lbs.
