Pacquiao Expected To Move Past Morales in Ring Ratings

By Rey Danseco

NEWLY crowned World Boxing International super featherweight champion Manny Pacquiao is expected to get past former three-division world champion Erik Morales in the pound-for-pound list after his well-publicized victory last Saturday in Los Angeles, California.

On the latest list of Ring Magazine’s pound-for-pound standings for the period ended Aug. 31st, Pacquiao is listed number five behind No. 4 Morales and No. 3 Marco Antonio Barrera, the current World Boxing Council (WBC) super featherweight king.

Pacquiao’s sixth round technical knockout win over Tijuana, Mexico’s Hector Velazquez will solidify his status as one of the best fighters in the world as far as the pro ranks.

While Morales, who got the best of Pacquiao in their first match in March this year, lost to a faster contender in Zahir Raheem in a 12-round WBC International lightweight bout.

The fight was supposed to be a tune up for a rematch with Pacquiao. However, the HBO pay-per-view return bout where Pacquiao certainly put his 130-pound belt on the line, will still be pushed through on schedule. The event will take place on Jan. 21 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Listed as the top two on the pound-for-pound list is newly crowned WBC junior welterweight boss Floyd Mayweather and former undisputed junior middleweight king Winky Wright, both of the United States.

To complete the top 10, IBF featherweight king Juan Manuel Marquez is beneath Pacquiao at No. 6, followed by the new IBF junior welter champ Ricky Hatton, WBC-WBO lightweight ruler Diego Corrales, the new undisputed middleweight kingpin Jermain Taylor and then his latest victim, the former long time No. 1 Bernard Hopkins.

Meanwhile, former WBC super flyweight champ Gerry Peñalosa and undefeated Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation minimuweight champ Rodel “Kid Rapido” Mayol, are the only other Filipinos in the Ring Magazine rankings in 17 weight categories.

Penalosa, who will see action for the first time since November on Oct. 1 against Tanzania’s Mbwana Matumla in Manila, is listed No. 9, while Mayol is No. 10.