By Ronnie Nathanielsz

 

Mexican promoter and handler of Erik "El Terrible" Morales, Fernando Beltran, yesterday angrily challenged the camp of Ring Magazine and IBA featherweight champion Manny Pacquiao to "put your money where your mouth is" and laid a $100,000 bet on the line to back up his words but Pacquiao's trainer Freddie Roach reacted by telling Manila Standard Today "talk is cheap."

 

That was in fact the point that Beltran was striving to drive home during the well-attended press conference at the MGM Grand Garden Hotel, saying the internet stories claiming that Pacquiao was "going to take out Morales in one round, two rounds, ten rounds or whatever" was all talk. Beltran in an interview with Manila Standard Today said the Pacquiao camp "insulted a great champion" who was "never taken out in 49 fights."

 

Beltran, carrying the fight to the Pacquiao camp charged that if there was "someone whose been looking to quit in a fight, its Pacquiao." Beltran cited three instances to prove his point saying the first was when Pacquiao was "hit with a body punch, he was hitting the canvas like fighters who don't want to continue." The second was against Agapito Sanchez when Pacquiao "was cut and wanted to end the fight" while he failed to name the third.

 

In contrast to Pacquiao, Beltran said Morales "has been cut, he's been hurt, he's been in a fight but he will never back off,  never say that is the end. He will fight one more round, two more rounds and do whatever it takes to win a fight. Let me tell you its disrespectful for Pacquiao's camp to say they will take Eriki Morales in one round or two rounds."

 

Beltran said they didn't care that Las Vegas odds installed Pacquiao as a slight favorite adding "from the Moales camp we tell the Pacquiao camp here's $100,000. Put your money where your mouth is." Morales was far more subdued saying he was happy "being in front of a warrior like Manny Pacquiao who's got a lot of power." Morales said he had "great preparation and we are going to do a great fight for the people." Morales conceded that Pacquiao's confidence was high because of his performances against Marco Antonio Barrera and Juan Manuel Marquez but emphasized "we are very very different and this Saturday we are going to prove it to you."

 

Th soft-spoken Morales said "I know that he (Pacquiao) is a warrior and people from his country are very strong people to fight but I never met a Mexican who retreats. I will be in front of him all night and we are going to win this fight."