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Former WBC 122, 126 & 130 pound champion Erik "El Terrible" Morales (47-2, 34 KO's) Tijuana, Mexico. 28-years-old, 5'8" 130-pounds. Trainer and manager of record Jose Morales.
Style: Morales is the complete boxer/puncher. He can stick, move; work behind his jab and score with rapier-like combinations. Or, he can flat out ****. However, at this point in his career and against a slugger like Pacquiao, chances are he will box more and **** less until the opportunity presents itself to pull the trigger. Only three of his last ten fights haven't gone the distance and that goes back to 2001, when he scored a 12-round unanimous decision over Guty Espadas Jr.
Strength: Morales' style and strength and changed somewhat over the years since he first turned pro back in 1993. However, his greatest attribute remains his resolve and his courage. He will fight and battle with you all the way to the final bell. In the 3rd and last Barrera encounter, Marcos Antonio dominated the first six rounds but Morales rallied to make it a close fight. His best shot is now his right hand and facing the southpaw Pacquiao you can look for him to fire it all night long. His jab at times can be best described as workman-like, but he still has a nasty left hook, and an excellent right hand, which he can fire straight and also nail you with over the top. If he gets in close, look for Morales to throw searing uppercuts with either hand. He will use Pacquiao's entire body as a target and he isn't shy about digging into your ribs with either hand. Finally, when Morales establishes his rhythm, he can effortlessly shift his attack down stairs or upstairs depending on the situation. Morales was raised above a gym as a kid growing up in Tijuana and he isn't short on little tricks to upset his opponent. Morales is a bigger and taller fighter than his opponent and it is Pacquiao who is stepping up in weight to 130.
Weakness: Morales is a slow starter and a rhythm fighter. Do that against a guy who throws bombs from the opening bell and you are inviting disaster. Using his last fight against Barrera as a measuring stick, Morales is posing more and throwing less leather. He labored to find his tempo in his last fight and he was rocked early by uppercuts in close quarters. While he did rally to make it a close bout, Barrera simply hit Morales far too often. By the end of his last fight, Morales' nose was broken and his left eye was reduced to ground chuck. Now he is poised to step into the ring with someone who hits even harder with even greater accuracy.
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Former IBF & WBO super bantamweight champion Manny "Pac Man" Pacquiao (39-2-2, 31 KO's), General Santos City, Philippines. 26-year-old 5'6" southpaw, 130 pounds. Trainer Freddie Roach, managed by Shelly Finkel.
Style: Pound for pound Pacquiao just might be the hardest hitter in the sport. He is a ****er/slugger but what sets him apart is his hand speed and his accuracy. He throws wicked three, four and five punch combinations that simply detonate on impact. Because he is a southpaw his shots are coming at you from different angles and unlike most lefthanders he isn't cute or stylish. He will come right at you firing whistling hooks and staggering left crosses from the opening bell.
Strength: Pacquiao is the complete athlete if you are looking for an action fighter. He throws devastating shots with both hands and he delivers the goods with withering accuracy. Pacquiao's best punch may be his jackhammer left cross; that's the shot that both Barrera and Marquez didn't have an answer for when they squared off with the Filipino star. Pacquiao is at his best when he is moving and throwing wicked combinations. He excels at firing and landing a hard left to the body followed by a whistling right hook to the chin. Pacquiao can put you on the deck with either hand, or grind you down with combinations.
Weakness: Pacquiao gets hit and part of his allure just like Arturo Gatti, is that he is constantly in high action bouts. He has been on the deck several times over the course of his career and in the past he has been vulnerable to counter right hands. When he controls the tempo of the fight Pacquiao can dictate pace and the punch output. However, as in the Marquez fight, when the action slows down and his opponent starts landing his jab Pacquiao struggles. When he faces Morales, the Mexican has an advantage in height and reach and that could effect the outcome.
Prediction: The conventional wisdom has this fight coming out one of two ways, either Morales by 12 round decision or Pacquiao by knockout. That said, Pacquiao has been sensational in training. He made weight early and Freddie Roach has the Filipino star in razor-sharp condition. If Morales starts slow we look for Pacquiao to jump on him early and to continue to land blazing left crosses down the middle. We believe that the southpaw's punch output and style is going to catch up with the future Hall of Famer Morales. We are picking Pacquiao by eighth round knockout.
Copyright © 1997-2005 - The Boxing Times, All rights reserved. Photo: Tom Casino/Showtime
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Former WBC 122, 126 & 130 pound champion Erik "El Terrible" Morales (47-2, 34 KO's) Tijuana, Mexico. 28-years-old, 5'8" 130-pounds. Trainer and manager of record Jose Morales.
Style: Morales is the complete boxer/puncher. He can stick, move; work behind his jab and score with rapier-like combinations. Or, he can flat out ****. However, at this point in his career and against a slugger like Pacquiao, chances are he will box more and **** less until the opportunity presents itself to pull the trigger. Only three of his last ten fights haven't gone the distance and that goes back to 2001, when he scored a 12-round unanimous decision over Guty Espadas Jr.
Strength: Morales' style and strength and changed somewhat over the years since he first turned pro back in 1993. However, his greatest attribute remains his resolve and his courage. He will fight and battle with you all the way to the final bell. In the 3rd and last Barrera encounter, Marcos Antonio dominated the first six rounds but Morales rallied to make it a close fight. His best shot is now his right hand and facing the southpaw Pacquiao you can look for him to fire it all night long. His jab at times can be best described as workman-like, but he still has a nasty left hook, and an excellent right hand, which he can fire straight and also nail you with over the top. If he gets in close, look for Morales to throw searing uppercuts with either hand. He will use Pacquiao's entire body as a target and he isn't shy about digging into your ribs with either hand. Finally, when Morales establishes his rhythm, he can effortlessly shift his attack down stairs or upstairs depending on the situation. Morales was raised above a gym as a kid growing up in Tijuana and he isn't short on little tricks to upset his opponent. Morales is a bigger and taller fighter than his opponent and it is Pacquiao who is stepping up in weight to 130.
Weakness: Morales is a slow starter and a rhythm fighter. Do that against a guy who throws bombs from the opening bell and you are inviting disaster. Using his last fight against Barrera as a measuring stick, Morales is posing more and throwing less leather. He labored to find his tempo in his last fight and he was rocked early by uppercuts in close quarters. While he did rally to make it a close bout, Barrera simply hit Morales far too often. By the end of his last fight, Morales' nose was broken and his left eye was reduced to ground chuck. Now he is poised to step into the ring with someone who hits even harder with even greater accuracy.
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Former IBF & WBO super bantamweight champion Manny "Pac Man" Pacquiao (39-2-2, 31 KO's), General Santos City, Philippines. 26-year-old 5'6" southpaw, 130 pounds. Trainer Freddie Roach, managed by Shelly Finkel.
Style: Pound for pound Pacquiao just might be the hardest hitter in the sport. He is a ****er/slugger but what sets him apart is his hand speed and his accuracy. He throws wicked three, four and five punch combinations that simply detonate on impact. Because he is a southpaw his shots are coming at you from different angles and unlike most lefthanders he isn't cute or stylish. He will come right at you firing whistling hooks and staggering left crosses from the opening bell.
Strength: Pacquiao is the complete athlete if you are looking for an action fighter. He throws devastating shots with both hands and he delivers the goods with withering accuracy. Pacquiao's best punch may be his jackhammer left cross; that's the shot that both Barrera and Marquez didn't have an answer for when they squared off with the Filipino star. Pacquiao is at his best when he is moving and throwing wicked combinations. He excels at firing and landing a hard left to the body followed by a whistling right hook to the chin. Pacquiao can put you on the deck with either hand, or grind you down with combinations.
Weakness: Pacquiao gets hit and part of his allure just like Arturo Gatti, is that he is constantly in high action bouts. He has been on the deck several times over the course of his career and in the past he has been vulnerable to counter right hands. When he controls the tempo of the fight Pacquiao can dictate pace and the punch output. However, as in the Marquez fight, when the action slows down and his opponent starts landing his jab Pacquiao struggles. When he faces Morales, the Mexican has an advantage in height and reach and that could effect the outcome.
Prediction: The conventional wisdom has this fight coming out one of two ways, either Morales by 12 round decision or Pacquiao by knockout. That said, Pacquiao has been sensational in training. He made weight early and Freddie Roach has the Filipino star in razor-sharp condition. If Morales starts slow we look for Pacquiao to jump on him early and to continue to land blazing left crosses down the middle. We believe that the southpaw's punch output and style is going to catch up with the future Hall of Famer Morales. We are picking Pacquiao by eighth round knockout.
Copyright © 1997-2005 - The Boxing Times, All rights reserved. Photo: Tom Casino/Showtime
Contact The Boxing Times | Media Request | Privacy Statement