Bracketing the fourteen-day space between March 19 and April 2, two outstanding displays of grit and artistry were forged that probably won?t be equalled over the following months. Great things were expected of Erik Morales-Manny Pacquiao; and Jean-Marc Mormeck-Wayne Braithwaite was always going to inject life in the once moribund cruiserweight division. Both were compelling, evenly matched contests between non-American fighters, and expert opinion, as often is the case, leaned toward whoever could tickle the mainstream viewer, in demand of spectacular bursts of entertainment. Southpaws Pacquiao (from the Philippines) and Braithwaite (from Guyana) could both finish a fight with one wicked shot and talk about it in English afterward, unlike the craftier, grittier Morales and Mormeck, who would needed translation, and could be harder to relate to. ?Pac Man? would gobble up Morales like the video game; Mormeck didn?t even have a nickname, so go for the ?Big Truck? to run him over.
It was surprising that the two temperamental punchers would be picked so confidently over the more stylistically stable operators. Wayne Braithwaite and Manny Pacquiao depended upon knocking out their opponents. They needed to look on as the man in front of them folded to the canvas, squirming, secure in the knowledge that their power will always prevail; in contrast to the \”Terrible\” Mexican and the Frenchman, who based their whole careers on fighting through adversity and grinding out tough wins. In particular, Manny had to stop Erik ? a ?hit back? artist of Evander Holyfield proportions ? and Wayne needed to coldcock Mormeck, before he could apply his suffocating late pressure. The statistics backed this up, especially for what stood to be a competitive, gruelling fight. Morales had won ten twelve-rounders; Pacquiao zilch. Morales had been ten or more rounds sixteen times, above Manny?s meagre six. In symmetry, Mormeck had fought 181 rounds, next to Braithwaite?s 81, and had gone past nine rounds five times, next to his opponent?s sparse two.
This, of course, all depended upon Erik and Jean-Marc?s ability to withstand the hard punches coming their way, especially in the early rounds: no certainty. Morales\’ toughness will be legendary one day, but he was coming off a punishing loss to Marco Antonio Barrera, who may have broken his nose, and suffered a cataract. And Mormeck could take a shot, but had never fought a world-class power puncher. What nobody banked on, however, was that the magnitude of their contests, and the crisis of facing a puncher, would inspire what we?d never seen before from either man: a punch perfect performance. Morales, of course, could box, no better exemplified than his long range sniping of Barrera, in their 2002 fight. Barrera got the nod, but Erik had boxed the better. And Mormeck was no mug, who could block and slip punches well before ripping loose with wrecking ball combinations that melted away resistance of such toughies as Virgil Hill and Dale Brown. But no one expected what would play out.
Prior to Morales? non-title fight with Pacquiao, the latter?s hype machine was in full swing, and trainer Freddie Roach played off the Pac Man hysteria by saying that Manny?s secret ?Manilla Ice? weapon would destroy ?Terrible,? who had never been stopped before. Although Morales? people complained bitterly that the long serving champion (super bantam, feather, super featherweight) had been disrespected, Erik himself remained calm and focused, if a little drawn and drained at the pre fight press conference. Two weeks later, Braithwaite would be heard bragging about knocking Mormeck out (whose sole defeats came on points early in his career), who kept calm and confidently quiet, with the promise that his fists would do the talking. Although the fancied, heavier hitters were considered too much, it was Morales and Mormeck who would step in with considerable physical advantages that became evident after the weigh ins.
Tall, spindly Erik always had difficulty making weight, and had to drain himself to make 130 pounds, but ate well after the weigh in and seemed rejuvenated, far bigger and stronger, come fight night. Manny, by contrast, had never fought above 122 before. Mormeck filled out earlier, making use of the expanded 200-pound cruiserweight class, whereas the lanky Braithwaite weighed only 188, two pounds beneath the original limit. The Morales-Pacquiao fight, as is known, was a massive success, and what played out was a war that will be considered a classic. Criticized for throwing one punch at a time in his epic draw with Juan Manuel Marquez, Pacquiao waded forward behind exciting clusters from his southpaw stance, but Erik, a hardy man, stayed calm and waited for counters. Using a pulverising jab, Erik took subtle steps to his right and followed through with ramrod right hands, countering Manny?s best shot, the straight left. Fittingly, Erik doubled and tripled upon the right, not only answering but also negating Pacquiao?s swarming attacks.
Pacquiao was often first off the mark, but Morales kept his chin down, and always answered with something better, countering with swiping shots and then keeping the Filipino off balance by chasing him across the ring, hitting hard at the same time. Forcing the puncher to give up ground, Morales had a huge advantage, and looked like a clever bully at times. A clash of heads in the fifth upset Pacquiao, but somewhat underlined his inability to punch himself out of trouble, and although quite a few rounds were close, Erik always seemed to put him in place. By the twelfth of a stirring contest, Morales abandoned the controlled fury that had served him so well, and by turning southpaw gave Manny a decided advantage: Erik couldn?t see the right hook coming. Pacquiao, the force of nature, had finally found his window, and reacted with cruel shots. The technician had become a battered punching bag, but the renowned hard man proved that he could take anything, and seemed a clearer winner than the 115-113 agreed by the judges.
In his previous fights, including the three defences of his WBA title, Jean Marc Mormeck always appeared the body beautiful. Indeed, he had looked more like a body builder than a boxer; unlike Braithwaite (WBC champ), who fits the pure puncher clich? of the tall, thin man who whips in spiteful shots with his long arms. Weighing in at 188, Wayne looked the same as ever, but at a filled out 200, Mormeck looked bulkier, rounder, and more compact. With his thick neck and hulking shoulders, barrel-chested Jean Marc looked ever more like the fearsome light heavy- and cruiser -champion Dwight Muhammad Qawi, but at a whopping five inches taller. Keeping his chin low and his guard stapled to his head, Jean Marc withstood some massive shots in the opening frame, especially to the body, where he was more open, but stayed patient in the storm and unleashed cruel, head snapping lead rights toward the end.
Even early, Mormeck demonstrated an important facet that would contribute to victory: his footwork and balance were just beautiful. Every time Braithwaite stepped back, Mormeck took two steps into him, so that when the wide, winging shots came in, they were not with full arm extension. Their impact was lessened by proximity, cut short of their full potential. Mormeck, surprisingly well rounded, could step away effortlessly and re-route his line of attack, and used his feet to steer ?Big Truck? to the ropes where he could unload with heavy, jarring clusters that allowed him to dominate, to turn a young and hungry puncher a broken, helpless man. Mormeck?s exceptional repertoire of punches allows us another mention of the great Qawi. Just as Qawi could throw seamless combinations of hooks, uppercuts and straight shots, so too is Mormeck able to combine punches of different trajectory in series, that made Braithwaite?s neck an axis for a rolling, disorientated head.
Like any fighter who believes in his power, Wayne rallied hard, courageously, but he was outclassed. Rights from Mormeck rocketed over Wayne?s sloppy left ? just as Morales had done to Pacquiao ? and Jean Marc pulverised him throughout. If Morales beat Pacquiao with controlled bullying, Mormeck applied controlled torture, turning an even money fight into a one-sided beating. If Morales took a massive, crazy risk by allowing Pacquiao to hit him, Mormeck did the opposite with Braithwaite. His decision to box on the outside in the last three rounds has been read as a choice to avoid Wayne?s power, but this is overruled considering the cruel beating that he had dealt out. It was rather another layer to a skilled craftsman, as he incredibly jarred the rangier Braithwaite with crisp rights from the outside in the tenth, pool cue jabs in the eleventh and combinations of the two in the twelfth. It was a sparkling display that should herald an exciting, resourceful new name, and needless to say, the Frenchman won comfortably.
Erik Morales took his victory in his stride. Playing the part of Mr. Cool, he smirked wryly in celebration, knowing that he?d fooled the doubters. An experienced man, the career-best win was just another notch, an affirmation of his legend, and a possible route to tougher fights in the lightweight class. As with the Marquez draw, Manny made excuses, mentioning the ?pillow gloves? and the cut, but his courage and participation in a great fight won?t be forgotten. Mormeck?s masterclass wasn?t fully appreciated by the Worcester, MA crowd, many of whom had departed after local boxer Jose Rivera lost on the undercard, oblivious to the crowning of a part unified champion, the first at cruiser since Evander Holyfield beat Ricky Parkey in 1987. Braithwaite accepted the defeat with quiet dignity, but Mormeck gave a big, beaming smile when the decision was read in his favour.
