You remember the days of youth when you engaged in more than one spirited pillow fight? According to Freddie Roach, Manny Pacquiao and Erik Morales engaged in one last year.
That’s right, two grown men pillow fighting.
“Winning gloves, they are like pillows,” says Roach.
Ah, the glove controversy courtesy of Murad Muhammad and the “Winning” brand. As the story goes, Muhammad-Pacquiao’s promoter at the time of the previous Morales fight- allowed the Morales camp to pick the gloves to be used in that epic battle. Morales chose “Winning” gloves, his usual brand of choice.
Trainer Roach was livid. He had not even been consulted about the gloves before the fight. His charge, Pacquiao, preferred the Mexican brand Reyes, which have a puncher’s reputation.
What was Muhammad thinking?
The fight is well documented. The two warriors went toe to toe for twelve rounds with Morales getting the best of things, however slightly.
Pacquiao had his moments in the fight. But a nasty cut, Morales’ sheer will and perhaps the distractions between Pacquiao and his management and promoters all culminated to do the idol from the Philippines in.
Did the gloves make that big of a difference? One would doubt that the result would have been any different regardless of the gloves on Pacquiao’s fists that night. But Roach thinks so.
“(Winning gloves) are not puncher’s gloves so they definitely have some effect on the punching power,” said Roach while on a media conference call recently. “And you know I think we will be much more comfortable going in to the fight with the gloves we choose and you know it will be one less distraction.”
Pacquiao, a man of few words in English, agreed with his trainer on the gloves issue.
“It was a distraction and it (was) my first time using Winning gloves,” stated the boxer. Then he added, “I am very happy right now I can use Reyes.”
Perhaps Erik Morales would have beaten Manny Pacquiao that night no matter if they’d have used Reyes, Everlast, or bare knuckles. It’s hard to take away from the Mexican’s victory.
Morales was coming off of a bitter loss to his hated nemesis Marco Antonio Barrera when he faced Pacquiao. In a very spirited fight- perhaps the fight of the year had there been no Corrales-Castillo I, Morales won at least seven of the twelve rounds, even strategically giving the twelfth round away.
There was more to that fight than the pillowed gloves. Take the fifth round, for example.
Morales ripped a huge gash around the right eye of Pacquiao. Referee Joe Cortez momentarily stopped the action to have the lacerated skin looked at. Pacquiao was bleeding profusely and Marc Ratner held up a sign for all to see that the cut was caused by a punch.
The replay showed that the gash was caused by an accidental butt.
High drama indeed.
“It was a bad cut and it definitely didn’t help us at all and it did take him a couple of rounds to get back into the fight because the eye was bothering him,” said Roach. “It took him about four rounds until he really got back into focus of the fight.”
The fighter concurred. The cut bothered him.
“It was a big distraction to me. Every time Erik moved to his right, I couldn’t see him. And also at one point the doctor came in and was speaking Spanish to me which was also a problem.”
Spanish would be a problem to a fighter who doesn’t understand it or speak it. It was an awkward moment as you could see the confusion on Manny’s face. The one thing that was clear was Pacquiao’s willingness to continue.
Cuts, bumps and bruises will always be a problem when you have the likes of Manny Pacquiao and Erik Morales meeting in the ring. Even if they are fighting with pillows.
It’s deja vu all over again. Morales is again coming off of a loss- this time to sleeper Raheem. But the glove is on the other hand so to speak with Pacquiao free to use his gloves of choice.
“I do believe the gloves will make a difference. We won’t be wearing pillows this time, we’ll be wearing Reyes. You know I hear that Morales is going to wear them also. So it should be exciting,” beamed Roach.
It seems as though Erik Morales is sending the message I will beat you no matter what brand of gloves we use.
Promoter Gary Shaw, part of Pac’s new team along with manager Shelly Finkel, found irony in Erik’s purported switch to Reyes.
“I have heard the same thing that he is training in Reyes gloves. That is what he plans on fighting in. But, you know, I don’t get it because of the controversy last time,” said Shaw.
“I think he may be the only Mexican fighter that I know that wears Winning gloves!”
Rumors to Morales’ switch to the puncher’s gloves have proven untrue. He’s sticking with his “Winning” brand. Matter of fact, Morales isn’t buying the glove controversy at all.
It isn’t the gloves. He thinks it’s in Pacquiao’s head.
“I think psychologically maybe for him his wearing the gloves makes him feel that he is a stronger puncher than he really is,” stated Morales in Spanish as translated by Top Rank’s Ricardo Jimenez during his own media conference call. “I don’t know. All I can tell you is that I fight with both kinds of gloves and I knock people out with both kinds of gloves.
“You know I think the gloves is just a side issue. It is not really important.”
So there you have it. Pacquiao says the gloves will make a difference. Morales says it’s a non-issue, even questioning Pacman’s power.
They’re calling this one “The Battle.” Both men seem ready to go. So plunk down your fifty bucks for the PPV, put some beverages on ice and pop some popcorn. Do what you must, just don’t miss this one. It should be an instant classic.
***
Tell us what you think: [email protected].
