Erik Morales can have a third fight with Manny Pacquiao, according to a rematch clause in the contract they signed for their fight Saturday in Las Vegas.
The question is: Does he want it?
Pacquiao became the first to knock out the Tijuana fighter, ending a brutal beating with a flurry of punches in the 10th round of the WBC title eliminator and avenging a loss to Morales in March.
Many wonder whether Morales is finished at 29.
“We have to see whether he really wants to continue,” his promoter, Bob Arum, said yesterday. “I have no idea what he will do. I spoke with him briefly (in the early-morning hours yesterday) when he came back from the hospital. He seemed a little depressed but was fine otherwise.
“He has plenty of money. I just don’t know what he’s going to do.”
If Morales chooses to continue his career and pursue a rematch, at what weight would it take place? He said after the fight that he can no longer make the 130-pound limit.
Shelly Finkel, Pacquiao’s co-manager, said he believes the rematch clause stipulates the rematch must be at 130 pounds. Arum didn’t know the exact terms in the contract but said he believes Morales could make 130 again.
Of course, Pacquiao could also agree to fight at a higher weight.
Meanwhile, Pacquiao also became the No. 1 contender for Marco Antonio Barrera’s WBC super featherweight title. However, Barrera is tentatively scheduled to challenge IBF lightweight champ Jesus Chavez on March 25, which means the super featherweight title is in limbo.
Pacquiao’s handlers aren’t thinking titles, anyway. Money is the motivation.
And Morales can generate more money because of his following than Barrera or an even lesser-known super featherweight contender should Barrera fight and beat Chavez, leaving the super featherweight title vacant.
Hospitalized Morales was taken to a hospital immediately after the fight only as a precaution and returned to his hotel a few hours later, Arum said. “I think they wanted to make sure since, obviously, he was concussed,” Arum said. “We’ve had two (boxing-related) deaths in Las Vegas recently. No one wants to take a chance.”
