LAS VEGAS—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,” said 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 PUNCHER’S CHOICE. Both Pacman and El Terrible will use these brand of gloves in ‘The Battle.’
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.
