The upset. In boxing, there is nothing more exhilarating. Clay over Liston. Spinks over Holmes. Leonard over Hagler. And, the emperor of all pugilistic shockers, Douglas over Tyson.
But when you pit a hungry tiger like Manny Pacquiao against a fading star like Erik Morales, the upset becomes less likely. And when you consider that Pacquiao destroyed Morales just 10 months ago, it almost becomes an impossibility.
A brutal, painful impossibility.
Those are the long odds “El Terrible” Morales will be facing down when he steps into the ring for the third time with Filipino icon Manny “Pac-Man” Pacquiao in Las Vegas (7 p.m. Saturday, HBO Pay-Per-View).
A long career
You’re only as good as your last fight, and Morales appeared shot back in January, when Pacquiao registered a 10th-round knockout. That previously impenetrable chin began to crack, and those steady legs wavered uncontrollably. In all, Morales was dropped, stopped and humiliated for the first time in his glorious career — a career that had its championship roots
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——————————————————————————– in El Paso. The night Morales knocked out Daniel Zaragoza for the WBC junior featherweight title at the El Paso County Coliseum (Sept. 6, 1997) was historic. But it also was nine years ago. “El Terrible” was a young man then. Today, he is in the twilight of his career.
The reflexes that made him a legend in his native Tijuana and elsewhere are gone. The only attributes that remain are those that never will leave — heart and determination.
Could Morales’ demise be a result of exhaustion and not age? Possibly. After all, he did beat Pacquiao the first time around, via 12-round decision in March 2005. And he has implemented a new, modern training regimen designed to improve his stamina.
More than likely, however, Morales (48-4, 34 knockouts) needs a big swig from the Fountain of Youth.
He has been fighting as a pro since 1993 — when he was 17 years old. He has had 21 world championship fights. And he has won titles in three weight divisions. Had he adopted a new, cautious boxing style — like his nemesis Marco Antonio Barrera — perhaps Morales would be better preserved. But he fights every fight as though his opponent robbed his family.
In Pacquiao (42-3-2, 33 knockouts), he will be fighting a machine. Some consider him the second best fighter in boxing. He is fast and skillful. But, most impressive, he can punch like a middleweight.
Those bombs have made him a god in his homeland — and a star here in the United States.
He is contemplating a rematch with Barrera, whom he destroyed in 2003. Most consider Morales a speed bump along the way.
The end for Morales
This fight may surprise some people early. While Morales never will abandon his aggressive style, he may use his jab more. And if Pacquiao gets cut again, as he did in the original fight, there may be a greater chance for an upset.
But in the end, Pacquiao is a whirlwind who can’t be stopped by an aged, tired fighter. It will take someone younger and fresher. If “El Terrible” had a time machine, perhaps.
Pacquiao by 11th round TKO.
