Manny Pacquiao is convinced he can maintain his rise at the expense of Erik Morales in the third meeting between the pair. The junior lightweight giants meet in a deciding sell-out non-title fight in Las Vegas on Saturday night.
Filipino Pacquiao said: “I’m not promising to knock him out but I’ll do my best to make people happy.
Morales, 30, said: “I have two motivations, the fans who want me to win and the guys who don’t.”
WBC International super featherweight champion Pacquiao (42 wins, three defeats and two draws with 32 knockouts) can continue his rise at the expense of veteran ring warrior Morales (48-4, 34KOs) who is looking to arrest a slide in his glittering career.
Both men are legends in their native countries but, despite the stakes, there is little bad blood between the two.
Pacquiao said: “I’m very confident of winning, but Morales is still a very good fighter.”
Morales won the first contest between the pair with a unanimous points decision in March 2005.
Pacquiao bounced back from his only defeat since 1999 with a vengeance as he dropped Morales to the canvas twice in the rematch in January to inflict the first stoppage of the Mexican’s career.
Morales, whose trilogy with Marco Antonio Barrera already has a place in boxing history, has lost three of his last four contests and is looking for a win over the rising Filipino star to kick start his career.
