LAS VEGAS, Nevada, United States of America — Erik Morales won with a classy display of guts and skill. Manny Pacquiao poured it all on, got bloodied and lost on points by unanimous decision.
But the big winners were the promoters who yesterday looked forward to a rematch between the two prizefight lions later this year.
All three judges gave the fight to Morales with an identical two-point edge (115-113). The Mexican fighter was the underdog but redeemed himself in a furious match that had the crowd yelling for more.
But the fight looked close only because of the blood and fury.
Morales showed up at his best and ended up the clear winner as he put up another masterpiece in toughness and ring craft.
The heavily favored Pacquiao, deemed to be younger, faster, stronger, did not jumpstart but ruled the mid-ring where he tagged Morales with hefty blows to take the opening round.
Pacquiao provided the most suspenseful moments when he caught Morales with big lefts that had shocked and frozen other fighters of lesser stuff in the past.
But in a fight expected not to last the 12-round distance, Morales settled down, cut Pacquiao over the right eye, and took the fiercest blows, while firing off his own, to take control with poise and accuracy.
Morales, with enough points to win, could’ve opted to coast along, but he decided to take the risk and went head-to-head in the final round to show he could take Pacquiao’s feared punches.
“I was not really bothered, but I also wanted to give the public what they deserve,” Morales explained through an interpreter in the post-fight press conference.
The bloodied Pacquiao, who got cut in the fifth round, showed up wearing dark glasses at the presscon where he was loudly applauded.
He said he could’ve done a lot better had he not suffered the cut.
Conceded
But Pacquiao did not tarry and humbly conceded defeat.
“I accept the decision, that’s part of the game,” he said and thanked his countrymen, including the many politicians, mostly congressmen on a break, who came to watch him fight.
The cut was ruled by referee Joe Cortez as the result of a punch, but a video replay showed it was caused by a headbutt.
It could have indeed been a different ending if not for the cut.
In fact, Filipino trainer Buboy Fernandez had to urge Pacquiao in the eighth round to try and finish the fight as blood continued to ooze and ruin his vision.
In his turn to speak, trainer Freddie Roach said something about the thicker gloves and how they had diminished Pacquiao’s punching power.
“Let’s do it again,” Roach said.
Promoter Bob Arum said the Morales-Pacquiao bout was a blockbuster that sold over 20,000 seats, well over the 14,700 capacity earlier stated.
“This is a great match-up. Let Pacquiao heal, he’s a terrific fighter. We can work a rematch later this year,” Arum told Manila reporters.
In the Philippines, the fight did not feel too good as a pall of gloom descended on the country with the Pacquiao defeat.
A lot of people who had hoped to do some dancing in the streets ended up frustrated.
Arum smirked when told of a possible Morales fourth fight with Marco Antonio Barrera, the Mexican world super featherweight champion whom Pacquiao had knocked out in 2003.
“Barrera, forget about him,” Arum snorted.
Members of Team Pacquiao are set to fly back to Manila today. But Pacquiao will linger a few more days here before returning home.
Barrera vindicated?
Pacquiao was honored by Filipino residents here at a party at Caf? Moda, a five-minute ride from the MGM Grand where he is staying.
But the bigger celebration belonged to the Mexicans who witnessed their perceived vindication of Barrera with Morales’ victory over Pacquiao.
Of course, unlike Barrera who got stopped and shamed in San Antonio, Texas, in 2003, Pacquiao left the arena last night to thunderous applause, his head held high.
