WITH MEXICAN Marco Antonio Barrera backing out, the road is now paved for a megabuck clash at super-featherweight between Manny Pacquiao and Erik Morales, another Mexican hotshot who holds the World Boxing Council (WBC) and International Boxing Federation (IBF) 130-lb crowns.
The proposed date is November 6 in Las Vegas or Los Angeles, according to a Bulletin source based in the US West Coast. If it is staged in Vegas, that fight would land at the Mandalay Bay, and if LA lands the slugfest, the Staples Center will be the venue of the scheduled 12-rounder on pay-per-view.
“It?s 99.9 percent sure that Pacquiao is fighting Morales after it was learned that Morales has opted to rebuild his career by fighting one more tuneup before he gets to face the big-name fighters like Pacquiao and Barrera,” said the source.
Pacquiao?s business manager Rod Nazario did not confirm nor deny the news about a Morales fight, but made it clear they are flying to Los Angeles on September 8 so that the GenSan southpaw can begin rigid training under Freddie Roach at the Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood.
“One thing is certain: We are going to the States next month,” said Nazario.
Pacquiao, meanwhile, continues to work out in his makeshift gym in GenSan in preparation for what will turn out to be the biggest fight of his career.
Morales, 27, is a three-division champion who is aiming to use the Pacquiao fight as a springboard to his impending invasion of the lightweight division next year.
The 5-9 Morales is 18-1 (win-loss) in world title fights stretching back to his days as world 122-lb titlist.
Parading a 47-1 card, Morales annexed the IBF title to his WBC jewels on July 31 when he beat up El Salvador?s Carlos Hernandez in front of over 8,000 fans at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Pacquiao hasn?t fought since being held to a 12-round split draw by Juan Manuel Marquez also at the MGM Grand on May 8.
If only Pacquiao finished off Marquez in the first round, when the Mexican counter-puncher went down three times, he (Pacquiao) would have been the one given the chance to slug with Morales, not the rugged Hernandez.
