The fight was billed ?Coming With Everything? – ?Leaving It All In The Ring? should be added to that promotional phrase after 12 exciting rounds Saturday night that kept Morales? Mexican fans and Pacquiao?s Phillipine faithfuls on their feet all night long.
The fight featured sizzling exchanges in every round, but the fight was controlled by the bigger, more experienced Morales, who used his jab to neutralize Pac Man?s advances. It was an amazing display of boxing skill considering the jab from an orthodox fighter is not usually an effective punch vs. a southpaw-especially one as skilled as Pacquiao. Morales, with a the heart of a lion and a chin of granite, is that talented a ?fighter?-not just a crowd-pleasing brawler-although he does that pretty darn good as well.
As expected, Pacquiao came out fast, throwing 83 total punches and landing 18 of 43 (42%) power shots, hurting Morales to the body midway through the round. Pac Man won the round on all 3 cards. Morales began to find the range with his jab in the second and proceeded to outland Pacquiao 16-9 in total punches-winning the second frame on all 3 cards. Pacquiao had a 19-12 edge in round three-enough to win that round-although Morales did land 11 of 33 jabs.
Morales outlanded Pacquiao 120-82 over the next five rounds, winning 4 of those 5 on the judges cards. The edge was bolstered by Morales? ability to consistently land his jab-which not only scored points, but blunted Pac Man?s attack.
With blood streaming down his face from a badly-cut right eye, Pac Man rallied to win round 9-outlanding Morales 22-15, including 17-11 in power shots, He now trailed by just one point on all 3 cards with 3 rounds remaining.
Morales had a big round 10-landing 29 total punches (his high total for the fight) to 16 for Pac Man. Morales swept the round on the cards. Round 11 was closer, as Pacquiao was busier, throwing 87 total punches. Morales had a slim 20-19 edge in connects and won the round-pulling ahead by 3 points on all cards.
Pacquiao, sensing he needed a knockout to win the fight (he was right), came out blazing in the 12th. Morales, who in his words wanted to ?add some flavor? to his performance, inexplicably turned southpaw-not only was Morales daring Pacquiao to take his best shot, but he was also telling Pac Man he was going to close out the show by not by protecting his lead, but by beating him at his own game. It was a tremendous give and take rounds that left Morales legs like jelly-more from fatigue than from Pac Man?s punches, although Manny did land 31 of 99 attempts (his high output for the fight) to 25 of 69 for Morales. Pacquiao won the 12th on all cards. Not enough, as the all 3 judges voted 115-113 Morales.
The final stats showed Morales landing 265 of 714 (37%) total punches to 217 of 894 (24%) for Pacquiao, who had a 183-169 edge in power connects (non-jabs), throwing 545 to 411 for Morales. Morales did land 41% of his power shots, rocking Pacquiao on several occasions. Morales? jab, the difference in the fight, landed 96 of 303 times (32%) to 34 of 349 (10%) for Pacquiao.
Once again, Morales, nearly a 2-1 underdog in some books (Pac Man fans bet with their hearts), proved why he may be the top pound for pound fighter in the business today-he?s never in a bad fight and gives all he has everytime he laces up the gloves. Ditto for Pacquiao, and speaking of gloves, he and his trainer Freddy Roach blamed the use of the Japanese-manufactured ?Winning? gloves as partly top blame for Pac Man?s demise. They preferred Mexican-manufactured ?Reyes? gloves-more of a puncher?s glove, however Pacquiao?s promoter Murad Muhammad, who has been at odds with Roach over other issues as well, signed the contract for the fight that stipulated the use of the ?Winning? gloves. Advantage Morales and Top Rank.
PunchStat Report
Erik Morales vs Manny Pacquiao 03/19/2005 LAS VEGAS Winner by Unan Dec: Morales
Total Punches Landed / Thrown
Round 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Morales 17/48 16/56 23/60 21/53 26/64 25/52 26/75 22/55 15/50 29/69 20/63 25/69 35% 29% 38% 40% 41% 48% 35% 40% 30% 42% 32% 36% Pacquiao 19/83 9/60 19/84 15/53 19/63 10/68 19/91 19/70 22/65 16/71 19/87 31/99 23% 15% 23% 28% 30% 15% 21% 27% 34% 23% 22% 31%
Jabs Landed / Thrown
Round 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Morales 6/20 7/28 11/33 7/22 8/31 12/27 10/29 7/19 4/24 7/23 10/26 7/21 30% 25% 33% 32% 26% 44% 34% 37% 17% 30% 38% 33% Pacquiao 1/40 2/36 0/29 2/18 2/21 1/17 1/27 3/26 5/28 5/29 6/41 6/37 2% 6% 0% 11% 10% 6% 4% 12% 18% 17% 15% 16%
Power Punches Landed / Thrown
Round 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Morales 11/28 9/28 12/27 14/31 18/33 13/25 16/46 15/36 11/26 22/46 10/37 18/48 39% 32% 44% 45% 55% 52% 35% 42% 42% 48% 27% 38% Pacquiao 18/43 7/24 19/55 13/35 17/42 9/51 18/64 16/44 17/37 11/42 13/46 25/62 42% 29% 35% 37% 40% 18% 28% 36% 46% 26% 28% 40%
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Final PunchStat Report
Punches Landed / Thrown
Total Punches Jabs Power Punches Morales 265 / 714 96 / 303 169 / 411 37% 32% 41% Pacquiao 217 / 894 34 / 349 183 / 545 24% 10% 34%
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