Although Manny Pacquiao was installed a 6-5 favorite by the MGM Mirage race and sports book, Erik (El Terrible) Morales isn?t fazed.
Morales is convinced he?ll whip the Filipino when they clash in a 12-round superfeatherweight bout at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on March 19. And it?s because Morales expects Pacquiao to struggle in his first 130-pound fight.
Moving up in weight isn?t something new for Pacquiao. He won the World Boxing Council flyweight crown in 1999 and the International Boxing Federation superbantamweight title two years later. That meant a jump from 112 to 122 pounds. Then, in 2003, Pacquiao halted Marco Antonio Barrera to gain popular recognition as the world 126-pound featherweight king.
Theoretically, a fighter loses a bit of sock when he invades a higher division particularly if he is “bloated” out of his natural weight.
But it isn?t clear what is now Pacquiao?s normal weight. Last December, he tipped the scales at 125 pounds the day before facing Fahsan 3-K Battery. Pacquiao was probably close to 135 when the fight started and it hardly diminished his power. A single left uppercut lifted Fahsan?s feet off the canvas and flattened him for good at 1:26 of the fourth round.
Paul Salgado of The Ring said Morales insisted the weight limit to be 130 pounds before agreeing to face Pacquiao. Obviously, the Mexican thinks he has a decisive advantage at that weight because unlike Pacquiao, he isn?t scaling up.
“Pacquiao and Morales have made it clear they?re eager to fight,” said Salgado. “Morales is emphatic on one point. He?s not interested in taking the fight at less than 130 pounds. That could be problematic for Pacquiao. His victory over Barrera was extremely impressive but it remains questionable whether he can promptly add weight and come close to a repeat performance.”
Oddsmakers chose Pacquiao to beat Morales because the Mexican isn?t hard to hit and the Filipino hits too hard.
“Morales is slow and he gets hit easy,” said ex-world titlist Junior Jones who beat Barrera twice but was stopped by Morales. “He?s not durable and you can hurt him very quickly. I don?t think he hits that hard. When I fought him, it was more a case of me losing steam and my focus than anything he did.”
KO Magazine?s Johnnie Whitehead described Morales? style. “Too often, Morales will land cleanly but then ruin his advantage by standing in range for the return fire,” he said. “He?ll pull straight out and not use his legs to escape danger. He?ll get impatient and forget the jab and instead, brawl with physically disadvantaged foes. He holds his head up too high to do consistently effective bodywork especially inside. He leans against the ropes and doesn?t bend to slip and counter with shots. Morales needs range to be effective.”
The Ring?s Ivan Goldman said although Morales works out of a standup stance and isn?t a slick boxer, he moves gracefully and punches with excellent timing. “He throws loads of powerful combinations and is a great finisher,” said Goldman. “Just about everything he does, Morales does very, very well.”
World Boxing Organization lightweight champion Diego Corrales said Morales is unrelenting. “I like Morales? strength, mentally and physically” he said. “He keeps coming and he?s always in shape. He has good punching ability and has definitely shown he has the heart to make it. He makes you fold.”
Former world featherweight titleholder Derrick Gainer said the key for Morales is patience. “He?ll wait and wait and wait,” said Gainer. “That?s the sign of a good pro. Morales is one of the worst guys you can fight. You can?t tell whether or not you?re hurting him.”
William Detloff, writing in The Ring, said Morales is overrated as a puncher. “Morales didn?t lose a killer punch when he moved up because you can?t lose something you never had,” he said. “He has always been a sharp, crisp puncher but never a devastating one.” Detloff pointed out that seven of Morales? last 10 fights went the distance including the three most recent outings.
What could work against Morales is the wear and tear of a career that began in 1993. He?s been involved in too many wars and that had to take a toll on his body.
Experience is Morales? edge over Pacquiao. He has fought 311 total rounds, including 164 in world title fights compared to Pacquiao?s 199 total rounds, including only 56 in world championship bouts. Their knockout percentage is identical?69 percent. Morales also has a five-inch reach advantage and a two-inch height edge.
Morales is coming off a close loss on points to Barrera and plans to invade the lightweight division after fighting Pacquiao. He has never lost to any fighter other than Barrera.
Ticket prices are $75, $125, $200, $300 and $400. The fight will be available on live pay-per-view at $44.95 a subscription to over 50 million US homes.
