GOT TROUBLE GETTING HYPED FOR MIS-MATCH!
Alexandria, VA-It’s the true number one pound-for-pound fighter in the sport, the Philippine’s Manny Pacquiao (42-3-2, 33 KOs) versus a Mexican legend in Erik Morales (48-4, 34 KOs) in a third and decisive battle. It’s Pacquiao, the only man in history to win the World flyweight and featherweight championships against the former World junior featherweight king and a three division titlist to boot. It should be a battle that really gets the juices going, but two days out, I’m having trouble seeing this as a competitive fight. That’s because ultimately this is about a great fighter rising to new heights against a great fighter who doesn’t look able to attain the heights again.
MORALES LOOKING MORE SHOT THAN TUPAC!
In their first battle, Morales turned back the clock, out-boxing and out-fighting Pacquiao. It appears to have been his last great effort. Morales has been fighting wars since defeating Daniel Zaragoza for the WBC 122-lb. belt in September 1997 almost non-stop. Following the Pacquiao win in March 2005, he was beaten easily by Zahir Raheem in a battle between two featherweights at the lightweight limit. Morales looked slow but one wondered if it was really the beginning of the end. In the January 2006 rematch with Pacquiao, an even fight through five frames became a blowout in the sixth as Morales’ body, particularly his legs, looked not only slow but ancient. If Raheem was the beginning of the end, the Pacquiao rematch screamed that it was over.
PRESSURE ON PACMAN AS SUPERFIGHT LOOMS!
In the eyes of this scribe, no one has done more in the last three years to earn the mantle of ‘pound-for-pound’ king than Pacquiao. He’s faced Morales, Juan Manuel Marquez, Oscar Larios and Marco Antonio Barrera six times and gone 3-1-1 with two knockouts during that stretch along with a couple of gimme’ fights along the way. At 27 years of age, Pacquiao may well be in the heart of his prime. The sixth round of Pacquiao-Morales II was about a moment of ascendance versus descent and I don’t see Pacquiao or boxing looking back. Morales falls again tomorrow night and probably earlier than he did the last time. It likely won’t be the last fight for the Mexican warrior, but it might be the last moment worth remembering before he heads to Canastota. For Pacquiao, this ultimately will be a great momentum builder for the biggest fight that can be made south of 154 lbs. in 2007 is a rematch with Barrera. If it had occurred this year, it would have been the biggest fight in boxing. Something has come up that will stop it from being that next year.
DE LA HOYA-MAYWEATHER LESS THAN SIX MONTHS!
Now this one has me excited. After almost two years without a true mega-fight, boxing gets a giant shot in the arm come next Cinco de Mayo. That’s because it’s biggest star, WBC 154 lb. titlist Oscar De La Hoya (38-4, 30 KOs) has elected to grant World welterweight champ Floyd Mayweather Jr. (37-0, 24 KOs) a shot at the economic brass ring. This fight has it all: family drama, big money and a real challenge for both men. Mayweather is yet another outstanding fighter on the resume of De la Hoya but considering Oscar’s age at fight time (34) it could well be the toughest night of his life. For Mayweather, it is not only a chance to dazzle the entire world (and the whole world, not just boxing fans, will be watching a boxing match for a change) but to face the best opponent of his career by a lot. Even at 34, De la Hoya is a full league beyond anything “Pretty Boy” has faced. This is a fantastic match-up and may not be the only one to anticipate in the first half of next year.
2007 SHAPING UP TO BE A SAVING GRACE!
Oscar-Floyd and Pacquiao-Barrera II are only the tip of the iceberg. Reports have Shane Mosley calling out Felix Trinidad; Ricky Hatton will likely face Jose Luis Castillo: the heavyweights are likely to see at least some unification action. There’s even young guys who will engage. Antonio Margarito is due for his mandatory with Paul Williams for a welterweight belt, super middleweight Mikkel Kessler faces a similar obligation of belt defense against fellow undefeated knockout artist Librado Andrade and Jermain Taylor may be headed towards a battle between champions with Joe Calzaghe. That’s a lot to look forward too and odds are most of it is actually going to happen. Exciting things are happening in the sport right now even if I’m not that excited about what’s coming this Saturday night.
