WHAT should be a prelude to the anticipated Pacquiao-Morales rematch comes off the wraps as boxing superstars Manny Pacquiao and Erik Morales fight separate opponents in the “Double Trouble” at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California.
Standing in the way of the January rematch are 12 boxing rounds and a pair of upset-conscious fighters – Mexican veteran Hector Velazquez and former US Olympian Zahir Raheem.
Titles at stake
Pacquiao will fight Velazquez for the World Boxing Council (WBC) International super-featherweight in a co-main event feature.
Morales slugs it out with Raheem for the WBC International lightweight title in the other half of the double main events.
In the undercard is fast-rising Boholano sensation Rey “Boom-Boom” Bautista, who will make his US mainland debut today against dangerous Columbian “hit man” Felix Flores-Murillo. Hawaiian world-title challenger Brian Viloria, who is of Filipino descent, will also fight in the card, taking on WBC lightweight champion Eric Ortiz.
In yesterday’s weigh-in, all fighters had no problem making the weight limit.
Morales tipped the scales at 134 pounds, while Raheem was 133lb. Pacquiao and Velazquez both weighed 130lb. Viloria and Ortiz likewise both hit 108lb.
Bautista and Murillo both weighed in at 117lb.
Pacquiao, his dreams and aspirations thrown off course when he lost by unanimous decision to Morales last March, did not leave any stone unturned in his preparation for today’s fight, even locking himself up in the gym away from eager fans.
Opponents’ record
Velazquez, who owns a 41-10 record with 30 KOs, could play spoiler as he has reportedly trained just as hard, especially on techniques against the hard-punching Filipino. Raheem (26-1, 18 KOs), for his part, will take every chance he gets as he has waited eight years before finally getting a topflight opponent.
Morales will have his fifth fight at the Staples Center, where he is undefeated in four previous fights. It will be Pacquiao’s first time at the Staples.
The 19-year-old Bautista, the WBO Asia-Pacific bantamweight champion who is a product of the renowned ALA Gym, is undefeated in 16 fights with 11 wins by knockout.
