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Erik says Manny flawed, vulnerable
The Philippine Star 03/09/2005
While admitting that Manny Pacquiao is a great warrior, Mexican ring idol Erik Morales remains unfazed by the Filipino fighter’s speed and punching power and vowed to expose his rival’s defects and weaknesses when they slug it out in a megabuck showdown on March 19 (March 20 in Manila) in Las Vegas, Nevada.
"Pacquiao is a great warrior," said Morales in an interview with Box-Latino.com Tuesday. The former three-time world champion is in the thick of his preparations for what he considers as the most important fight in his checkered boxing career.
"Without a doubt, this will be a difficult combat," added Morales. "Pacquiao is one authentic fighting machine capable of throwing blows but I believe he is a boxer who counts on a series of defects, which makes him vulnerable."
Quick, strong and deadly, Pacquiao is expected to put up a scintillating performance like the one he dished out when he demolished another Mexican legend Marco Antonio Barerra in 2003. Conversely, the General Santos native isn’t a bit afraid to take a punch in order to unleash one of his lethal blows against a top pound-for-pound fighter in Morales.
But can Pacquiao do it again? Will he beat another superstar, and in the process make himself one of the supreme fighters of this era?
Morales wants to make sure none of those would materialize.
"This fight is very important for my career," said Morales. "Actually, my previous fights were important. But there is no doubt that this is a lot more (significant)."
"As already told, I will be up against a rival who is strong and fast. So I must control the rhythm of the fight and fight intelligently," he added.
To achieve this objective, Morales has been working with a lot of spirit and concentration in his camp in the mountains of Mexico for months now and he is expected to taper off this week for the big fight dubbed as "Coming with Everything."
Meanwhile, Pacquiao’s noted American trainer Freddie Roach said his ward, now weighting around 130-132 lbs, has never been better, further raising hopes of a victory by the Filipino hero.
But Morales presents problems that Pacquiao has never seen before. For one, Morales is a tall, rangy, hard-punching junior lightweight, who "never says die" and throws accurate, destructive punches. Also he has been at the 130-pound weight limit longer than Pacquiao.
In fact, this will be Pacquiao’s first fight at the junior lightweight class, which may give Morales an extra advantage over the Filipino.
But Pacquiao doesn’t seem too worried about the weight factor though, he explained, "130 pounds is my regular weight."
The Philippine Star 03/09/2005
While admitting that Manny Pacquiao is a great warrior, Mexican ring idol Erik Morales remains unfazed by the Filipino fighter’s speed and punching power and vowed to expose his rival’s defects and weaknesses when they slug it out in a megabuck showdown on March 19 (March 20 in Manila) in Las Vegas, Nevada.
"Pacquiao is a great warrior," said Morales in an interview with Box-Latino.com Tuesday. The former three-time world champion is in the thick of his preparations for what he considers as the most important fight in his checkered boxing career.
"Without a doubt, this will be a difficult combat," added Morales. "Pacquiao is one authentic fighting machine capable of throwing blows but I believe he is a boxer who counts on a series of defects, which makes him vulnerable."
Quick, strong and deadly, Pacquiao is expected to put up a scintillating performance like the one he dished out when he demolished another Mexican legend Marco Antonio Barerra in 2003. Conversely, the General Santos native isn’t a bit afraid to take a punch in order to unleash one of his lethal blows against a top pound-for-pound fighter in Morales.
But can Pacquiao do it again? Will he beat another superstar, and in the process make himself one of the supreme fighters of this era?
Morales wants to make sure none of those would materialize.
"This fight is very important for my career," said Morales. "Actually, my previous fights were important. But there is no doubt that this is a lot more (significant)."
"As already told, I will be up against a rival who is strong and fast. So I must control the rhythm of the fight and fight intelligently," he added.
To achieve this objective, Morales has been working with a lot of spirit and concentration in his camp in the mountains of Mexico for months now and he is expected to taper off this week for the big fight dubbed as "Coming with Everything."
Meanwhile, Pacquiao’s noted American trainer Freddie Roach said his ward, now weighting around 130-132 lbs, has never been better, further raising hopes of a victory by the Filipino hero.
But Morales presents problems that Pacquiao has never seen before. For one, Morales is a tall, rangy, hard-punching junior lightweight, who "never says die" and throws accurate, destructive punches. Also he has been at the 130-pound weight limit longer than Pacquiao.
In fact, this will be Pacquiao’s first fight at the junior lightweight class, which may give Morales an extra advantage over the Filipino.
But Pacquiao doesn’t seem too worried about the weight factor though, he explained, "130 pounds is my regular weight."
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