LAS VEGAS, NEVADA—In what is easily one of the biggest events in the history of Philippine boxing, Filipino icon Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao faces Mexican superstar Erik “El Terrible” Morales today in a 12-round rematch dubbed “The Battle” at the 18,000-capacity Thomas and Mack Center located inside the UNLV campus here.
Pacquiao, carrying the hopes of 87 million Filipinos, aims to get back at Morales, the Tijuana hero who had dealt him a unanimous decision loss in their first encounter in March last year.
The third man in the ring will be Kenny Bayless, while judges will be Jerry Roth, Dave Moretti and Paul Smith. Moretti and Smith were the same judges who both scored 113-115 against Pacquiao in his first bout with Morales.
At yesterday’s official weigh-in supervised by Marc Ratner of NSAC and hosted by WBC heavyweight champ Hasim Rahman, Pacquiao came in at 128 1/2 pounds, while Morales checked in at an exact 130 lbs.
The weigh-in provided a glimpse of what will happen in today’s fight as die-hard Mexican and Filipino fans, numbering some 1,000, came to witness the weigh-in and almost caused a riot at the entrance of the Margaux Ballroom before Pacquiao and Morales could even get into the scales.
Games and Amusements Board chair Eric Buhain, who arrived at the weigh-in to cheer for Pacquiao, told this writer that the Filipino nation will rejoice today with a Pacquiao victory.
Buhain, who will make a side trip to Mexico to attend the WBC Night of Champions late this month, also told the Filipino fighter that President Macapagal-Arroyo is solidly behind him.
Meanwhile, lead promoter Bob Arum said that ticket sales had been phenomenal and the pay-per-view expected to be another big hit.
“As of today, more than 13,000 tickets have been sold out already out of the 16,000, and we expect the vast Mexican and Filipino contingent to snap up those tickets on fight night,” Arum said.
NSAC chair Marc Ratner also announced that Pacquiao will be assisted in his corner today by trainer Freddie Roach, Justin Fortune, Buboy Fernandez and cutman Joe Chavez.
In Morales’ corner will be trainer Jose Luis Lopez, Raul Robles, and Fernando Fernandez.
