LAS VEGAS, Nevada — Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao may have indeed undergone a swift transformation from a fighter into a well-rounded boxer, as evidenced by the balanced game he flashed in stopping Erik Morales.
But a review of the punches thrown and landed in “The Battle” at the Thomas & Mack Center on Saturday (Sunday in Manila) indicated that power, not improved skills, provided the big difference in the main contest.
Pacquiao prevailed because he landed more power punches, some of them ax-like digs to the rib cage that ultimately softened and toppled Morales for the first time in his great career.
Pacquiao threw a total of 537 power blows, landing 171.
Morales threw 321 big punches and landed a total of 107.
The difference in percentage may not be too big, but in the case of Pacquiao, who packs power way, way above his natural weight, one big blow could end it all for his opponent.
“Pacquiao is a rarity; he is a super featherweight who punches stronger than a regular welterweight,” explained Games and Amusements Board boxing division chief Noli Flores, who witnessed The Battle from ringside here.
In fact, Pacquiao was outscored by Morales on the percentage of jabs thrown and landed.
Pacquiao threw 258 jabs and connected only 25 times.
Morales threw 323 jabs and landed a total of 77.
That’s a huge difference that could’ve changed the overall result if the fight were governed by amateur rules.
Anyway, some of the punches thrown by Pacquiao were close to thunderous, the reason Morales had to be brought to the hospital for a post-fight checkup.
With the humiliation suffered by Morales, there came reports he had suffered cracks both in his nose and his rib cage.
“This was what Gary Shaw, Pacquiao’s promoter, was telling us,” bared Jeff de Guzman, a US-based Filipino therapist who assisted Team Pacquiao here.
De Guzman said the report on the severe injury suffered by Morales has put in jeopardy a third fight between the main protagonists in last Saturday’s highly successful boxing match.
“We can’t expect a rematch. That guy Morales had been badly beat,” De Guzman quoted the American promoter as saying.
So far, there has been no immediate opponent being lined up for Pacquiao, although ringsiders believe a rematch between Pacman and Marco Antonio Barrera would be a blockbuster.
Barrera, the reigning world super featherweight champion, lost to Pacquiao by TKO in the 11th round in their non-title bout two years ago.
