THE THIRD, and perhaps the ultimate fight between Manny Pacquiao and Erik Morales is already a done deal.
This was reported Friday by the Los Angeles-based Spanish language newspaper – La Opinion – as the camp of Morales is itching to get back at Pacquiao.
But the fight will be at 132 lbs, a category the Gen San fighter isn’t comfortable with.
La Opinion said that the management team of Pacquiao has already accepted the fight at 132 lbs although the Filipino southpaw has repeatedly said that he’s only going to fight Morales again if they meet at 130 lbs, the weight limit in their first two bout.
The bout is set on Sept. 16 at the Sam Boyd Football Stadium in Las Vegas.
“The venue has already been approved and HBO and Showtime will air the fight,” the Mexican daily La Opinion quoted Top rank big boss Bob Arum as saying. “Our goal is to fill all 27,000 seats.”
“With so many years in this sport, I do not have any doubt that Pacquiao and Morales will fill that stadium,” Arum said.
The first match was won by Morales via the narrowest of margins in March 2005 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. In the rematch staged last Jan. 21 at the Thomas and Mack Center, also in Las Vegas, Pacquiao exacted sweet revenge, becoming the first boxer to stop Morales, who was knocked out in the 10th round.
In preparation for the third fight, Pacquiao will figure in a non-title bout sometime in May or June in Manila with HBO beaming the fight to the US.
Being considered to challenge Pacquiao is ex-world super-bantamweight champion Oscar Larios.
Pacquiao’s American handlers are expected to make a formal announcement soon regarding the tuneup match.
Morales, 29, complained that he had difficulty making the 130-lb limit and this contributed to his downfall against the 27-year-old Pacquiao.
