LAS VEGAS — The Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) announced that Erik Morales has the option to wear his choice of gloves for Saturday night’s brawl with Manny Pacquiao.
NSAC chief Marc Ratner said that under the agreement between the camps of Morales and Pacquiao, each fighter can wear whatever brand of gloves that he’d like to use in the scheduled 12-rounder at the Thomas and Mack Center.
Morales said he will use the Japan-made Winning gloves, while Pacquiao will wear the Cleto Reyes brand which, ironically, is made in Mexico. Morales, a Mexican, is opting for the Japan-made mitts to honor an endorsement contract.
Boxing experts said Winning gloves are specialized to protect the hands because of the thick padding on the knuckle area, while the Cleto Reyes variety doesn’t have cushion on that portion of the hand, hence it has been known as the puncher’s gloves.
The choice of gloves was an issue the first time Morales and Pacquiao fought in March last year at the MGM Grand.
Pacquiao’s camp had protested the clause on the contract that mandated the Filipino to use Winning instead of the Reyes. But Pacquiao finally agreed to use Winning after it was revealed that Murad Muhammad, then Pacquiao’s promoter, had agreed on that particular provision when he signed the contract for the first Pacquiao-Morales fight.
But during Wednesday’s press conference, Team Pacquiao brushed aside any notion that the choice of gloves played a role in Pacquiao’s 12-round unanimous decision loss to Morales.
“The gloves are a non-issue. The gloves will not win it. Manny will,” said trainer Freddie Roach.
