Ring Magazine featherweight champion Manny Pacquiao eagerly welcomed yesterday the chance to fight former World Boxing Council super featherweight champion Erik ?El Terrible? Morales on March 19 instead of the planned Feb. 26 rematch with World Boxing Association/International Boxing Federation champion Juan Manuel Marquez.
He admitted that he was ?worried about getting into top shape for Marquez,? whom he considered a more dangerous opponent.
Pacquiao and his trainer Freddie Roach, while appearing confident on the outside, did show some concern over the late nights and good times the Filipino champion was having since his Dec. 11 face-off with Fahsan 3K Battery, while Marquez had been training since November.
If the Marquez fight pushed through, Pacquiao would have had only six weeks of training which most members of Team Pacquiao considered too short against an opponent like Marquez, who was a conditioning freak.
Although he declined to make any official comment on the March 19 showdown with Morales, Pacquiao?s business manager Rod Nazario said: ?I definitely prefer Morales especially since it gives Manny a few extra weeks to get in shape.?
In an overseas telephone conversation with Viva Sports/Manila Standard after he was mobbed by Filipino fans living in Los Angeles while having dinner at Goldilocks, Pacquiao said: ?God is looking after me? indicating the change in the date as well as the opponent were clearly in his favor.
Obviously in high spirits, the flamboyant Filipino said: ?2005 is my lucky year and I don?t have a problem now? because the showdown with Morales would be ?an easier fight.?
It was the same view expressed by trainer Freddie Roach who told Viva Sports/Manila Standard that Morales was ?hittable and stays in front of you,? unlike Marquez who was ?harder to hit because he won?t engage,? especially after suffering three knockdowns in the first round of their battle last May which ended in a controversial draw.
On Sunday night, Pacquiao went to the Bicycle Club Casino to watch Efren ?Bata? Reyes in action in the final four of the winners? bracket in the UPA Tour Championship, but unfortunately saw ?The Magician? drop back-to-back heartbreaking losses, first to Corey Deuel, the eventual champion, 10-11, and then in the losers? bracket against Gabe Owen, 6-7, to settle for fourth place.
Pacquiao said he did some jogging around the block despite the continuous rains that have swamped Southern California the past week and also worked out at the Wild Card Gym of Roach, where he went three rounds on the punch mitts.
He said he is aware that Morales is a regular 130-pound fighter who is almost certain to move up to the lightweight division after their March 19 clash and that he is a couple of inches taller.
Pacquiao said: ?My goal is to train hard so I can show good skill in the ring.?
Well-known boxing writer James Blears of the widely read Web site Boxing Scene said: ?This will give Manny more time to prepare and believe me, against Morales, this is necessary.?
Pacquiao said international promoter Murad Muhammad, who will stage the fight along with Bob Arum?s Top Rank, would keep his word and pay him $1.75 million for fighting Morales. Pacquiao said he would also be entitled to a percentage of the pay-per-view rights which could earn him a total purse of over P100 million.
