The buildup was truly magnificent. Sparring partners maimed during sparring sessions. A secret weapon called “Manila Ice.” One of the gutsiest “Mexican fighters” sent by his country to salvage the legacy of “Mexican boxing” … this was going to be a good one.
Manny Pacquiao was to face one more Mexican in order to complete his trifecta, and to assert himself once and for all, as one of the best fighters in the world.
On March 19, 2005, the boxing public gathered at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas for an ol’ fashioned shootout. Morales vs. Pacquiao, and just as important; Mexico vs. The Philippines.
Manny Pacquiao and Erik Morales split themselves right down the middle to reveal their soul, and their guts. It’s incredible when you think about it. Neither man could insult the other without the help of a translator, yet, there was no love lost here. The anger and animosity in the air could be cut with a knife.
The tension could be felt early on, as Morales’s braveness was exhibited. Undaunted by the notion that his opponent’s hands are made of iron, Morales jumps right in. Pacquiao begins battering Morales on the ropes – left, right, left uppercut, right, left (misses) – and then suddenly, it happens. Never once considering the consequences of trying to knock-out one of Mexico’s proudest individuals, Pacquiao unknowingly disrespects the Mexican legend by trying to knock him out in the first round.
“I saw his face and heard the crowd,” Morales later said. “He thought I was going to lay down? Never!!”
In an instant, the supposed washed-up Mexican charged; chasing Pacquiao clear across the ring and motioning with his gloves, as if to say, “lets go to war!!”
And to war, they went.
The battle lines were drawn 16 months earlier, when Pacquiao caved in a legend at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.
In one corner, renowned trainer Freddie Roach goes to work. “Manny, stick to the game-plan, son!”
Prior to the fight, the Pacquiao camp said they would reveal the secret weapon, known only as, “Manila Ice.” But the only ice on this night was the ice that ran through the 29-year-old Morales’ veins.
By the sixth round, it had become evident; Pacquiao could not hurt Morales, and it was going to take skill to outcraft the craftiness of one of Mexico’s most skilled boxers. The task was too great.
Pacquiao had to impress everyone with his performance on this night. We are so used to seen him dominate his opponent, but we often wondered, what will happen when his back is against the wall?
He showed us the kind of heart it takes to be a champion, and the kind of class it takes to become a fan favorite in this sport. He never complained. Not even when the cut – clearly caused by a headbut – was ruled to have been caused by a punch. The look on Pacquiao’s face as the ringside physician closely examined him was a look of confusion, but that could be attributed to the physician entering the ring, as if the fight had been stopped.
The only way Morales could lose was if he beat himself. And to make things a little more interesting, Morales would of course make an attempt at beating himself by switching southpaw in the final round.
He lands a picture perfect left-hand, but that was it. Suddenly, Pacquiao cracks Morales with a shot felt all the way down to Avenida Revolucion, and it momentarily staggers him – but only momentarily. The stubborn Morales refuses to switch back. He gets hit again. Now he’s losing the round … but not the fight. All he has to do is remain on his feet, and he is assured of doing what no other Mexican up to now has been able to do. And he does it. He beats Manny Pacquiao in what was up to then, “The Fight of the Year.”
Somewhere in Mexico City, Marco Antonio Barrera was applauding.
“Sure, we have our history of bad-blood,” said Barrera. “But as a fellow Mexican, I was excited.”
Morales stunned a lot of people with his performance that night. Not since his days as an even scrawnier Super Bantamweight, has Morales looked so flawless. This was the Morales of old.
There was nothing graceful about Morales’ performance. Like most of his fights, he enjoys pleasing the audience, so he stands their and wages war with the man across from him. It makes no difference who the man is, or that he packs a punch, Morales enjoys man-to-man combat as much as we enjoy watching it.
The two will do it again on January 21, 2006, at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. The fight is being dubbed, “The Battle” and will be televised on HBO PPV beginning at 9:00 ET/6:00 PT.
