ERIK Morales, another great Mexican fighter, has ruled out a future rumble with Filipino ring icon Manny Pacquiao.
While admitting he would have loved a clash with Pacquiao, recent developments have ruined the possibility of Morales colliding with the Ring Magazine featherweight champion next year.
“I’d like to take on Manny Pacquiao, but I think he’s already set for Juan Manuel Marquez,” said Morales during a well-attended get-together with the media in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where he and his girlfriend are currently vacationing.
Pacquiao will be going for the WBA-IBF title of Marquez again on Feb. 26, 2005 in a rematch of their first encounter last May that ended in a draw.
If Pacquiao wins, Morales said the Filipino would likely go for a second meeting with Marco Antonio Barrera, who had beaten him in their epic third fight recently.
Morales said he does not have the luxury of time waiting for a bout with Pacquiao because he wants to move up to the next higher division.
“Most likely I’ll fight next between March and April and I think I’d do the last fight at 130 pounds before going up to 135,” said Morales.
“Next September, though, I’ll challenge for the 135-lb title as I think my friend Jose Luis Castillo (current WBC lightweight champ) will also go up in weight.”
Morales came to Argentina upon the invitation of cable channel Space which has asked him to annotate his own fights in a special program that Space will air on Saturday on the South Cone of South America.
“I’m here on vacation, though it’s always good to also think of doing some business,” Morales told Fightnews.
“We’re planning to bring some Mexican fighters that I represent to fight in Argentina next year,” he added.
When asked on his take about Oscar De La Hoya as a promoter, Morales told Fightnews: “I think De La Hoya’s ego is bigger than the boxers he manages. That’s why you can see his name all around the place when he puts a fight on. Yet, the only big fight his company won was Barrera against me. Without a doubt, the best promotional company is Top Rank.”
“From now on I’ll fight for any title that I can afford to. No more 100-percent loyalty to the WBC, yet I acknowledge their titles, along with WBA’s, are the most prestigious ones,” Morales said.
“Unfortunately, there still is racism in the US when it comes to boxing. That’s why Mexican fighters have to do ‘something else,’ ‘something special’ in order to gain the TV companies’ recognition,” he added.
