Will Either Morales or Pacquiao Take a Step Back?

Will Either Morales or Pacquiao Take a Step Back? By Brian Wilbur Courtesy RingSideReport.com Styles make fights. Fighting styles are what determine if a contest is going to be an all out slugfest reminiscent of Gatti/Ward or an all out snoozefest like Ruiz/Holyfield. Some of the recent super fights have been lacking in drama. Hopkins vs. De La Hoya appeared more like a ballet recital than a championship boxing match. It seems like most of today's elite pugilists have a box first mentality. They fight intelligently and meticulously by jabbing and then occasionally shooting a right hand. Most of the well schooled boxers fight like this because it gives them the best chance at winning. Although dancer vs. counter puncher match ups are satisfying to boxing purists, they lack the blood and guts action that many fans seek when watching the sweet science. One has to worry, are all major future boxing matches destined to be jabbing contests? Fear not faithful fight fans; Manny Pacquiao vs. Erik Morales is the clash of superstars that the boxing world has been waiting for. These two warriors are the only two members of the pound for pound club with a brawl first mentality. Two punching titans and future legends will collide in the center of the ring on March 19th in Las Vegas. Anyone who tunes into this one will almost be guaranteed to witness a fight of the year candidate fought at the highest level of competition that this wonderful sport has to offer. The proposed Morales vs. Pacquiao contest has created excitement not seen for a while in boxing. No matter that Morales lost his last bout or that Manny took part in a draw just two fights ago, this showdown represents the best of pugilism. That fact that Manny even agreed to take this bout fight is proof that he will fight anyone, anytime, anywhere; a rare quality in the modern boxer. You have to remember that Pacquiao once fought at Flyweight and has rapidly put on weight in order to make super fights. When he was champion at 122, he moved up in weight to fight Barrera at 126. Now, after only three fights as a Featherweight, he is moving up to the next weight class in order to give the fans a treat by taking on Morales. He is obviously comfortable making the 126 pound limit considering he was weighing in at 120 less than 2 years ago. Pacquiao jumps up to 130 to take on not a tune up or a paper champion or even a solid contender; he is taking on a future hall of famer caliber boxer that is naturally bigger than him and comfortable at Super Featherweight. The rapid rise in weight may be a significant disadvantage for Pacquiao. We do not know if his power, speed, or overall effectiveness will carry over into the higher weight class. Erik should be commended as well. He is throwing caution out the window by taking on Pacquiao immediately after another super fight. One has to wonder if all of the wars that Morales participates in, seemingly in every one of his title contests, is starting to take a toll on his body. If Roy Jones Jr. was the fighter that always took the safest route to a victory, Erik Morales is the complete opposite. He has shown in spots that he has brilliant pure boxing skills, but he so often abandons them by opting to brawl. Morales' machismo and bravado will not allow him to coast to decisions by running and potshotting. He is constantly under pressure to live up to the image of the classic Mexican warrior established by the great Julio Cesar Chavez. In Erik's mind, he not only needs to win, he needs to hurt, punish, and show his opponent that he is the real man in the ring. That fighting approach, to go along with an ego the size of his entire hometown of Tijuana, has carried him to the highest levels in the sport and he is not about to abandon that mentality now; even that plays right into the hands if his foe Manny Pacquiao. Manny's game plan is no secret. He is going to engage in battle like he always has; coming forward with the fury of 10,000 men balled up into his compact 5'6 frame. Each punch is an explosive bomb with malicious intentions. Pacquiao doesn't want to participate in a boxing match, he wants to fight. Up to this point, no one has been able to match the Filipino destroyer punch for punch. Pacquiao walks through anyone who thinks they have the strength to over power him, at least everyone up to this point in his career. Morales' warrior's instinct won't allow him to take a step backwards, even if he sees the menacing Pac Man steamrolling towards him. "El Terrible" is not scared of the challenge and will attempt to become the first person in six years to stop Manny. Odds posted on the internet and in Vegas are evenly mixed. Some have Morales a slight favorite and others have Pacquiao slightly favored. Basically it is a pick 'em fight in the eyes of the gambling world. The fact that Morales has proved on three separate occasions that he is Marco Antonio Barrera's equal, no more no less, and that Manny absolutely destroyed Barrera in their one contest is hard to ignore. Well that means that Pacquiao will destroy Morales right? Not exactly; boxing doesn't work that way. Morales has handled himself nicely in multiple championship bouts where he experienced adversity and is in no way, shape, or form a push over. Just like Juan Manuel Marquez, Erik has too much pride to crumble under pressure, even if that means picking himself off of the canvas multiple times. Erik sought out this fight because after the close decision loss to Barrera last November, he wanted to rebound by taking on the biggest fight possible. Not surprisingly he is extremely confident in victory. "El Terrible" does not have a humble bone in his body. He often expresses disdain for his opponent for their audacity to agree to step into the ring with a boxer of his class. Surprisingly he has shown a bit of respect towards Pacquiao. "Pacquiao is a great warrior and he comes to fight," said Morales. No funny business at this press conference. Both men are here to do what they were born to do; fight. Leave the staged, pre-fight feuds for matches that need the extra publicity, for this one does not. The buzz is extraordinary. Two of the greatest and most exciting boxers of this era will meet in the center of the ring in an event that fight fans will never forget.