By Ronnie Nathanielsz
Ring Magazine featherweight champion Manny Pacquiao has been recognized as champion by the International Boxing Association or IBA and will receive the championship belt from IBA president Dean Chance when Pacquiao battles Erik "El Terrible" Morales at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Saturday in a fight that is destined to be an explosive showdown and a candidate for "Fight of the Year."
Pacquiao and his entourage arrived in Las Vegas from Los Angeles on Monday evening while Morales who had a mariachi band playing popular Mexican songs at the lobby of the crowded MGM Grand failed to arrive on schedule at 5:30 p.m. today because his flight from Mexico City was delayed.
After an early morning jog and breakfast, Pacquiao relaxed for a short while playing black jack at one of the gaming tables where he reportedly won $800, before a rigorous afternoon workout at a nearby gym. The workout was highlighted by five breathtaking rounds on the punch mitts after which trainer Freddie Roach complained of aching elbows because of the awesome punching power of Pacquiao.
Roach concentrated on the latest deadly weapon in the arsenal of the flamboyant Filipino southpaw ... a right hook which Pacquiao threw in a vicious four-punch combination that looked capable of stopping Morales cold. Roach admitted that "Manila Ice" which is the code name given to what he hopes will be the killer blow on
Saturday kicks off with the right hook but the punch , by itself, is
not the real thing.
The emerging strategy ,judging by the workout, was the use of awesome body shots favored by Roach. The 2003 "Trainer of the Year" told Manila Standard Today "a lot of Mexicans have good chins but if you can go to the body and break it down just like we did in the fight against Marco Antonio Barrera and take his legs away from him, he'll have nothing at the end of the fight." Roach stressed that "head shots you recover from right away, butb body shots stay with you all night long."
Roach was clearly elated over Pacquiao's condition and focus saying "he is making moves even before I call them. He is still loose and happy, having a little bit of fun in there which is good this close to the fight. This is a big fight and mentally a lot is riding on Manny. The whole country is depending on him. His focus is right where we want it to be. He is a well-oiled machine. You wind him up and put him in the right direction he'll do the rest."
A lot is going to be added to this fight compared to the May 2004 fight against WBA/IBF champion Juan Manuel Marquez. Roach noted that Pacquiao "was capable of fighting a much better fight than he did against Marquez" promising that fight fans would see"a much more scientific Manny out there, this time." Roach indicated there will be a "lot more head movement, feet movement. side to side and he is not going to get hit so much."
Roach said that against Marquez, Pacquiao "just stood in front and wanted to trade with him. Marquez could not hurt him and Manny thought he could knock him out but Marquez was resilient to the end ofr the fight."
