LEGENDARY Mexican and three-time world champion Erik “The Terrible One” Morales said yesterday he’s ready to win over Filipino national treasure Manny Pacquiao in their Grand Finale rubber match at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas on Nov. 18 (Nov. 19 Manila time).
In an interview with boxing writer Karl Freitag of Fight News, Morales admitted: “It’s a tough fight, it’s a difficult fight and it’s one that I am going to win and that’s all that is on my mind.”
Morales said what most boxing writers have pointed out and that is that he took a “lot of time to get ready for this fight, a lot to make the weight.”
“I feel real strong and I think that’s going to be the key. Not only lose the weight but be real strong after it.”
The Mexican indirectly took issue with World Boxing Council founding secretary-general Rudy Salud, who recently said that by losing so much weight, Morales would definitely lose some power no matter how scientific the methods used. Salud said former WBC super flyweight champion Gerry Pe?alosa went through a similar program with renowned nutritionist Dr. Sanirose Orbeta in order to lose only a few pounds, but on fight night, his power was diminished.
Morales continued to make excuses for his 10th-round KO at the hands of Pacquiao in their re-match last January, claiming that he made too many changes that he should not have done. He underscored the fact that for what is expected to be a brutal showdown next Saturday in Vegas, he would be 100 percent.
