By Ronnie Nathanielsz
Renowned cut-man and trainer Lenny De Jesus has cautioned WBC International super featherweight champion Manny Pacquiao not to take Erik “El Terrible” Morales lightly in their rematch scheduled for January 21.
In an overseas telephone conversation with Viva Sports/Manila Standard Today, De Jesus said Morales is certain to train hard for the much-awaited Pacquiao rematch and indicated it would be wrong to judge Morales on the basis of his last defeat at the hands of Zahir Raheem.
He blamed the matchmakers and said “that was a bad fight for him (Morales),” even as he noted that Raheem “slips a lot of punches, piles up the points and can take a punch because he knows how to roll with the punches.”
De Jesus said he was impressed with Pacquiao’s showing against Velazquez and said he “looked good” in his sixth round demolition of Hector Velazquez and that he could “still improve” before the rematch with Erik “El Terrible” Morales on January 21.
De Jesus who worked Pacquiao’s corner during the March 19 epic against Morales said the Filipino ring idol “is now more of a counter-puncher who took his time and used his right hand more.” The Puerto Rican who has a gym in New York where former WBC super flyweight Gerry Penalosa trained for some week noted that Velazquez was “the perfect fighter” for Pacquiao. He said Velazquez was good for three rounds and after that “Manny caught him good. You know Pacquiao has good punching power,” but warned that Morales would be hard to beat.
De Jesus said he didn’t quite understand why Pacquiao’s younger brother Bobby Pacquiao was being thrown against rugged Carlos “Famoso” Hernandez adding “maybe they are testing him out to see whether he comes out ahead” but said he frankly didn’t know.
