IF YOU think the mediamen from the Philippines, US and Mexico are the only ones thrilled over the March 19 super-featherweight showdown between Manny Pacquiao and Erik Morales, you are terribly mistaken.
The Pacquiao-Morales match at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas has caught the fancy of the boxing press from Europe, South America and Asia as well, executive Amy Zopfi of Brener, Zwikel & Associates (BZA), Inc. told the Bulletin.
The BZA of Zopfi handles the application for credentials for the Pacquiao-Morales bout that will be shown on HBO Pay-PerView for $44.95. Tickets, which are selling briskly, range from a high of $400 to a low of $75.
“We?ve received approximately 300-500 applications from the US, Canada, Mexico, Germany, Finland, Argentina and Japan. We are ecstatic about the large number of applications we?ve received to this point,” said Zopfi.
Pacquiao, the pride and joy not only of General Santos City, but the entire Philippine national as well, has been installed the slight favorite going into the scheduled 12-rounder.
Despite this, Pacquiao is not looking past Morales since he is fully aware that the accomplished Mexican remains an extremely dangerous rival.
Pacquiao trains under the watchful eyes of top cormerman Freddie Roach and conditioning coach Justine Fortun. Lending a helping hand is Pacquiao?s childhood chum, Buboy Fernandez.
This will be the third time Pacquiao is strutting his stuff in Las Vegas, having made his debut there in June 2001 against South African Lehlo Ledwaba at the MGM Grand.
In his second appearance at the 15,000-seat MGM Grand, Pacquiao battled Juan Manuel Marquez to a 12-round split draw in May last year.
Pacquiao, who is two years younger than Morales at 26, has also fought in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Memphis (Tennessee) and San Antonio (Texas).
