Ring Magazine featherweight champion Manny Pacquiao will fight Erik "El Terrible" Morales, the former WBC super featherweight champion instead of WBA/IBF champion Juan Manuel Marquez in a scheduled rematch on February 26 following their controversial draw last May in which Pacquiao decked Marquez three times in the opening round but couldn't put him away. A Japanese website earlier reported that the announcement of the fight had been made by Top Rank.
The Pacquiao-Morales showdown which was intially set for sometime in July will now be held on March 19 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in a blockbuster pay-per-view fight card titled Bring It On. The official announcement will be made at a press conference scheduled for Wednesday, January 12 at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel opposite Rodeo Drive along Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles. Both Morales who lost a fight for the ages in his third encounter with Marco Antonio Barrera last November 27 and Pacquiao who scored a devastating eleventh round TKO victory over Barrera in San Antonio, Texas on November 15, 2003 will be present along with international promoter Murad Muhammad and Top Rank's Bob Arum.
Murad and Arum had been meeting since last week in Las Vegas in an effort to finalize the scheduled rematch with Marquez but the apparent demand by Marquez and his trainer Ignacio "Nacho" Beristain that he be paid $1.5 million while Pacquiao was slated to receive $900,000 turned off both Murad and Arum. Although efforts by Viva Sports/Manila Standard to contact Murad in order to confirm the deal proved futile, Viva Sports believed that the many days spent by Murad at the MGM Grand during which he had several meetings with Arum pointed to the fact that they were hammering out a Pacquiao-Morales agreement instead. Arum handles both Marquez and Morales and indications are that Marquez will push through with the February 26 date but against another opponent, not Pacquiao.
Viva Sports/Manila Standard learned last Wednesday that Arum had picked up Murad for a meeting and that they had spoken to HBO, the major sports network that will telecast what is expected to be the biggest fight this year. Murad had earlier confirmed that Z "The Dream" Gorres would "definitely fight a world-rated boxer on the undercard" although he didn't reveal that it was on March 19 and that it was on the Pacquiao - Morales fight card.
When Pacquiao left for Los Angeles last Saturday he inquired whether the fight against Marquez had been finalized but we were informed by Murad to tell both Pacquiao and his business manager Rod Nazario "not to worry" that there will be a fight. In the addendum signed by Pacquiao for the two fights specified under the March 1, 2004 four fight contract between Pacquiao, Nazario and Murad, the flamboyant Filipino southpaw was to get $900,000 for the rematch with Morales or an opponent acceptable to HBO which was putting out a big amount of money and $1.75 million for the clash with Morales.
Pacquiao was unaware he would be fighting Morales when he departed for LA last Saturday aboard a Philippine Airlines flight but said "I am willing to fight Morales because he is not such a tough opponent. Pac-Man is ready to fight anybody because I have no fear.
Trainer Freddie Roach in an overseas telephone conversation with Viva Sports/Manila Standard on Sunday said "Morales is easier style-wise because he's hittable and stays in front of you unlike Marquez who moves and counter-punches effectively." Roach said
Marquez "is harder to hit because he won't engage" adding that in his view Morales "is a smarter fight to take" than Marquez. Roach said that if the Morales fight pushes through it sounds good. It will be a great fight although he admitted Morales poses some
problems. He's a little bigger and is 130 pounds.
The March 19 date would be a blessing for Pacquiao who had not trained since the December 11 fight against Fahsan 3K Battery and had a stretch of late nights and good times, because it would give Roach and extra three weeks to get him into top shape. Roach said despite his fun, he'll be okay. Morales who stands 5'8 will have a two inch height advantage over the 5'6 Pacquiao and is also two years older at 28 to Pacquiao's 26. Morales has a record of 47-2 with 34 knockouts while Pacquiao has a record of 39-2-2 with 31 KO's. Should Pacquiao win over Morales it is almost certain that he will have a rematch with Barrera and if Marquez remains champion eventually face the third Mexican who will be the last man standing among the big three.
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I guess it's JMM's lost. He's left with no money and a no-name opponent. JMM needs Pac more than Pac needs him. As I said on my other post, I would love a Morales-Pacquiao bout, but I can say the same with Pacquiao-Marquez. And of course of my schedule.
But I do think that Morales' style suit Pac's style better than Marq. So this may be a war. I know Morales is bigger but remember that even he cannot take down Barrera, I don't think we have to worry too much.
I believe he will be a smart fighter and use his boxing skills.
I believe otherwise. Morales will go to brawl form in an effort to decisively do what his countrymen did not. I truly believe the mentality of Mexican boxers (a good thing, btw) will come into play in this fight.
Also, his granite chin will take anything Manny has to dish out.
Except that it's Pac's cumulative body shots that will stop Morales....maybe in 9, finally getting under with one big one to the liver.
If Morales decides to come in weighing heavier as was the case in MAB-EM III, Morales is dead before he steps in the ring. Manny is so much faster than Barrera and hits so much harder. I can't see EM surviving long even. Though as I would believe is that EM learned his lesson vs MAB and won't do that again. Either way I still say Manny has the power and speed edge vs Morales and it is true that Morales has never faced a guy that commits to his punches as much as Manny does. Manny and Tszyu are very similar in the way they commit to their straight punches. Even if your not badly hurt, your going to fall down from the force and most likely a broken nose.
It could be Arum's ploy to pressure JMM into caving in from his purse demands. Leak to the press that Feb. 26 is in jeopardy and say that a Morales bout is a possibility, hoping that JMM and Berastain would get threatened and accept the 750K offer which would be better than nothing.
whoever manny fights it'll be tough. morales will have the physical advantages over pac (who could still make 122 if he wanted to). just cos morales lost to barrera don't make him out to be a bad fighter, he's still top 10 p4p. i think alot of people are getting carried away with manny pacquiao, don't be suprised if morales beats him (or marquez if that fight comes off).
Okay Now I'm Confused. Who's Fighting Who Now?!?!
And I think I already lost my appetite for Pacman-JMM2! Will he or won't he? He wants to create suspense, but boxing fans instead of getting more excited, are getting less and less interested and bored!!
At this point, I really don't care who Pacman fights this February(Erik, MAB, Chi, Harrison, even Prince Naz if he wants to comeback!). All I know is that Pacman is the best in his class today and can beat any comers anytime.
As for JMM, I'm buying the "insurance" angle. The odds are that he'll likely lose his titles, so he might as well demand the biggest purse that he can. Pacman gets the belts, he gets his big pay. Everybody's happy!!
im serioulsy not even payin more attention to these stories
i remember getti all excited for EM-pac and Pac-MAB 2
be it was final signed that it was EM-MAB 3
and Pac-3k
Your analysis is not bad, but I think it will go diferently. JMM, while a better counterpuncher than EM, is not as hard a hitter nor does he posess the reach advantage over Pac that Morales has. EM HATES MAB and that's why he goes to war with him; against Pac, I believe he will be a smart fighter and use his boxing skills. Also, his granite chin will take anything Manny has to dish out.
You can't say that since Manny beat MAB and MAB beat EM (twice) that Manny is by default the better fighter. Styles make fights and Manny's style is perfect for a counterpuncher (like JMM) or a taller boxer who uses his reach as an advantage. When EM uses his jab he will make Pac lose his balance and, therefore, his power.
Also, I had JMM winning the first fight comfortably, just in case you are wondering.
i guess that's what you gonna say of PAC-JMM 1, but won't go into argument with that one, i think everything has been said about that fight and for me, only way to settle the score is a rematch...
IMHO EM goes to war against everybody and he will go to war against PAC, EM would want to win convincingly over PAC but to do that he has to go to war and he never faced a guy who hit as hard as PAC ...
Nice!I guess JMM has to go back to fighting on PPV undercards,LMAO!
Erik Morales is a Great fighter but if MAB can beat him to the punch,i'm sure Pacman can as well. Plus,EM has a Glass-Nose and if Pacman can fatten JMM nose,EMs bird nose will definetly be flattened.
hahahaha..well said bro :D
Nice!I guess JMM has to go back to fighting on PPV undercards,LMAO!
Erik Morales is a Great fighter but if MAB can beat him to the punch,i'm sure Pacman can as well. Plus,EM has a Glass-Nose and if Pacman can fatten JMM nose,EMs bird nose will definetly be flattened.
EM superior??? i know EM is great but he could not even take care of MAB, and won't fight JMM ...
I honestly believe that JMM is a harder opponent style wise for PAC, as for EM his tendency to go to wars instead of box will be his waterloo against PAC ...
Your analysis is not bad, but I think it will go diferently. JMM, while a better counterpuncher than EM, is not as hard a hitter nor does he posess the reach advantage over Pac that Morales has. EM HATES MAB and that's why he goes to war with him; against Pac, I believe he will be a smart fighter and use his boxing skills. Also, his granite chin will take anything Manny has to dish out.
You can't say that since Manny beat MAB and MAB beat EM (twice) that Manny is by default the better fighter. Styles make fights and Manny's style is perfect for a counterpuncher (like JMM) or a taller boxer who uses his reach as an advantage. When EM uses his jab he will make Pac lose his balance and, therefore, his power.
Also, I had JMM winning the first fight comfortably, just in case you are wondering.
I think Pac is going to lose this fight. I've said it tons of times: Morales has too many skills for Pac to deal with. Morales is a superior boxer and has power too. Morales UD12.
EM superior??? i know EM is great but he could not even take care of MAB, and won't fight JMM ...
I honestly believe that JMM is a harder opponent style wise for PAC, as for EM his tendency to go to wars instead of box will be his waterloo against PAC ...
I think Pac is going to lose this fight. I've said it tons of times: Morales has too many skills for Pac to deal with. Morales is a superior boxer and has power too. Morales UD12.