LAS VEGAS — For Erik Morales, Saturday night’s rematch with Manny Pacquiao appears to be just another day at the office.
Morales, the Mexican puncher who’s been to countless ring wars dating back to the time when Pacquiao was still trying to make a name for himself back in the Philippines, arrived Tuesday night from Queretaro, Mexico, armed with the belief that his victory last year over the wild-swinging Filipino was not a fluke.
“I am in very good condition and I feel very strong,” said Morales, through his manager and interpreter Fernando Beltran moments after they got out of a dark-colored Mercedes Benz at the South Valet entrance of the Wynn Resort and Casino.
Team Morales was brought to the US on board a private plane owned by Top Rank president Bob Arum. Asked about this weekend’s battle at the Thomas and Mack Center, Morales did not mince words about the prospects of repeating over Pacquiao, who he dealt a points defeat last year at the MGM Grand.
“I trained hard for 10 weeks for this fight and my preparation with my new trainer (Jose Luis Lopez) went on smoothly,” said Morales, who wants to redeem himself following a shameful performance against Zahir Raheem last September at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
Despite reports from Pacquiao’s camp saying that the Filipino is in terrific physical and mental state, Morales’ response was plain and simple.
“I don’t think about that too much,” said Morales, who appeared calm and focused, and not agitated. “I just want to win this fight.”
Dressed in a black jacket, Morales had to accommodate at least four TV crews for interviews, including two from the Philippines before he was herded towards his suite at the .7 billion casino-hotel that boasts of a Ferrari and Maserati dealership, 18-hole golf course and an arcade that shows off such signature labels like Chanel, Louis Vuitton and Christian Dior.
For the first time in his decorated career, Morales will be without his father and former trainer Jose “Olivaritos” Morales on the night he slugs it out with a revenge-conscious Pacquiao.
The management team of Morales had to do away with the boxer’s father after the Raheem fight and took in the touted Lopez as replacement.
“All the changes that were done will be good and it’s time that I made the change,” said Morales, who enters the ring parading a 48-3-0 win-loss-draw slate with 34 knockouts. Pacquiao, in contrast, sports a record of 40-3-2 with 32 knockouts.
This will only be the fourth time that Pacquiao is strutting his stuff in Sin City, while Morales has fought here a total of 16 times.
A press conference is scheduled on Wednesday lunchtime at the Wynn with the fighters in attendance.
