No distractions, no excuses—and a knockout win by the 8th round for Manny Pacquiao over Erik Morales.
That’s what Pacquiao’s camp promised Wednesday (Thursday in Manila) during the press conference at the Mouton Room of the Wynn Las Vegas resort hotel and casino for the rematch between the Filipino icon and the Mexican legend this weekend.
Despite being marred by jeering supporters of Morales, who ridiculed Pacquiao’s broken English in answering questions, the briefing showed both fighters looking physically and mentally ready for their second bout, billed as The Battle and set Saturday (Sunday in Manila) at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.
“It’s going to be a good fight. Both of us worked real hard and we’re going to give you a good fight on Saturday,” said Pacquiao, who has won 14 of his last 17 fights.
“I’m prepared for this fight, I feel ready, I feel even better than last time,” added Morales, a three-time world champion coming off a lackluster loss to Zahir Raheem.
The native of Tijuana, however, canceled his scheduled open workout, unlike Pacquiao who dazzled observers when he worked the mitts with trainer Freddie Roach on Tuesday at the nearby IBA gym.
Still, “El Terrible” looks to repeat his unanimous decision victory over “PacMan” on March 19, 2005, at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino, also in Las Vegas.
But Pacquiao’s promoter, Gary Shaw, said the absence of prefight distractions for the Filipino, unlike in his first encounter with Morales, will lead to the Mexican getting knocked out for the first time in his stellar career.
“This is like the Olympics of boxing. Both fighters represent their country, but put your money on an 8th round KO by Pacquiao,” said Shaw, who replaced New Jersey-based Murad Muhammad.
“I guarantee everything will be different, Manny has no distractions, he’s in a beautiful suite, provided by the Wynn hotel. He is happy, he’s eating well, he’s not distracted, he’ll have the gloves of his choice and there will be no excuses,” added Shaw, noting Pacquiao will be using Cleto Reyes brand of mitts—touted as a puncher’s gloves because of its thinner padding at the knuckles.
Morales, meanwhile, opted to stick with Winning gloves—supposedly softer than the Reyes brand—that he used in beating Pacquiao. “It won’t make any difference because he beat Pacquiao with Winning the first time out,” said the Mexican’s manager, Fernando Beltran.
Shaw, however, said that despite the gloves issue, whoever loses this fight “will have lost only because they could not win, no excuses.”
“The best man will win Saturday,” Shaw said.
