HAVING disposed of Oscar Larios, it?s now Eric Morales who?s under the radar of Manny Pacquiao.
The team management handling the career of the Filipino ring idol confirmed that the third installment of Pacquiao?s rivalry with the Mexican boxing legend is already penciled for Nov. 18 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Shelly Finkel, the American manager of Pacquiao, said he already had a contract made for the 12-round bout with Top Rank Promotions, the outfit headed by Bob Arum and responsible for promoting the fights of the 30-year old Morales.
?A clause in the contract had Bob Arum guaranteeing a certain amount as penalty if Eric would not make the (130 lbs) weight,? Finkel bared yesterday.
?And he (Arum) would not be handing out that certain amount if he?s not sure that Eric would not make the weight.?
Morales admitted having a hard time meeting the super-featherweight limit of 130 lbs. in his last fight with Pacquiao, that ended in a 10th round technical knockout loss that would go down as the worst beating suffered by the Mexican in his colorful 14-year career as a pro.
?If he makes the weight, then the fight is on. If not, it?s up to Manny to decide whether to fight Morales,? added Finkel.
Trainer Freddie Roach said the fight with Larios was a good springboard for his highly-anticipated meeting with Morales four months from now.
For Rafael Mendoza though, Pacquiao-Morales III won?t push through.
?Morales will never ever make that fight. Never. Because he knows that if he makes 130 lbs., you know, I don?t know what?s gonna happen. He may even die on the ring. He?s too weak on that weight,? said the soft-spoken agent of Larios.
