LOS ANGELES — All signs lead to a probable violent and quick end to next week’s slugfest between Manny Pacquiao and Erik Morales.
And it doesn’t look like Pacquiao plans to stay on top of the ring at Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas for long as in the case when he brought down Morales last January.
“I will fight (Morales) as if there’s no tomorrow,” Pacquiao was quoted as saying by his associate Jayke Joson on Wednesday afternoon (Thursday morning in Manila) after another pulse-pounding workout at the Wild Card Boxing Club.
Instead of taking it nice and easy, Pacquiao, the heavy favorite for the Nov. 18 rubber match, is said to be so determined to win convincingly against Morales that he’s been training like never before especially in the last few weeks under the watchful eyes of trainer Freddie Roach.
Pacquiao plans to hold his last sparring session on Saturday before driving off to Las Vegas, also known as Sin City, with a big retinue. He was supposed to go there on Monday, but since that day falls on a 13th, Pacquiao decided to make his move a day earlier to buck any superstition related to that number.
They’ll be billeted at the ultra modern Wynn Las Vegas, where weekday rates for a room start at 0 per night.
Everything is set for the Nov. 18 clash. Even his personalized Nike boxing shoe has arrived, brought in by songwriter and friend Lito Camo, who hand-carried the item on board Philippine Airlines flight 102 from Manila on Wednesday along with some other personal stuff.
Pacquiao recently signed as a Nike endorser and every outlet in the Philippines has a display of the fighter on its store window. But the jackets of his training team and other key supporters will carry the “No Fear” logo which has been backing the GenSan southpaw since his flyweight days.
On Thursday, Pacquiao will hold a media workout at the Wild Card and his fans would also be there to catch a glimpse of the Philippines’ top sports icon.
