ERIK MORALES has gone into heavy training in a gym 200 kilometers northwest of Mexico City.
Morales, who faces Filipino Manny Pacquiao in a rematch on Jan. 21, 2006 in Las Vegas, sparred for three rounds yesterday with Manuel Leyva and Mauro Gutierrez in the city of Queretaro, according to an Internet report which came out at box-latino.com.
With new trainer Jose Luis “Maestrito” Lopez calling the shots, Morales looked superb in his first day of intense workout with 44 days remaining before he and Pacquiao rumble in a 12-rounder at the Thomas and Mack Center, a 19,000-seat arena inside the sprawling University of Nevada-Las Vegas campus.
Morales decided to hire Lopez following his unimpressive showing against Zahir Raheem last Sept. 10 in Los Angeles. Morales was used to be trained by his father Jose “Olivaritos” Morales, who has opted to stay in Tijuana.
Despite winning handily over Pacquiao in their first match held last March 19 at the MGM Grand, Morales has been installed a 7-5 underdog in the Pacquiao rematch.
He was beaten on points by Raheem and Pacquiao was sensational in mauling Hector Velazquez of Mexico.
Pacquiao, like Morales, is already in training camp, having arrived in Los Angeles last Saturday.
This will be the first time Pacquiao will be spending the holidays without his loved ones.
Yesterday, Cebu promoter Wakee Salud received a text message from Pacquiao.
“Manny said he’s feeling lonely there,” revealed Salud. “But I just thought to myself that he will just have to endure the loneliness because the Morales fight is very important. Dapat talaga magtiis muna siya. If he wins, all this hardship will be worth it.”
Pacquiao is turning 27 tomorrow, Dec. 17 and he is expected to work out even during the height of the holidays in the hopes of reaching razor-sharp form in time for fight week.
