TC and M Fight Night! Pacquiao vs. Morales III

I've been a life-long boxing fan and tonight is a good night, because I just got finished watching a legit ass-whoopin'. It was the rubber match between Manny "Pac Man" Pacquiao and Erik "El Terrible" Morales, the third fight in a one of the better boxing trilogies of my lifetime. Morales had won the first fight in a unanimous decision in which the Pacquiao's camp claimed was lost because (1) they took Morales lightly and (2) Pacqiao was forced to wear Winning Brand gloves which are regarded as "pillows" effectively negating Pacquiao's punching power.

Pacquiao won the second fight with a 10 round TKO. In the rematch, Pacqioa had switched back to Reyes brand gloves which are known as "puncher's gloves" and had
kept Morales at bay with an improved right jab. After the loss, Morales attributed the loss to the split with his father, his long time trainer, and poor conditioning in order to make weight. Morales claimed that Pacquiao had never really hurt him, rather his legs gave out on him. I really don't understand how someone can hit you to the point you can't stand up anymore but not "hurt" you, but whatever. Pacquiao has the Reyes gloves, Morales is back with his father in his corner and has gone through a much ballyhooed Velocity training regiment so there were no excuses for the this third fight.

I'll say this outright, I'm a die-hard Manny Pacquiao fan. He made a reputation in the Featherweight and and Super Featherweight divisions by being a wild swinger with a devestating left hand. Pacquiao's fights are just that, fights. He's a live wire who is constantly moving with aggression with Mike Tyson-esque punching power in a 130 pund frame. For a fan who craves slugfests, Pacquiao is the most exciting fighter in the world.

I've also followed Erik Morales quite a bit. I rooted against him in his trilogy with Marco Antonio Barerra and have been waiting for him to get his ass handed to him Pac Man style since January. In boxing, more than any other sport, you have to respect someone who knocks you out. Morales has refused to give Pacquiao any respect and for that he deseves a beating.

Pacquiao came into the fight a 2-to-1 favorite over Morales and after watching Pac Man decimate Morales last January, I didn't anticipate a close fight. Still, Morales could have chosen to box his way to another decision. Well he could have, but from the opening bell it was clear that wasn't going to happen.

Heh, Rey Mysterio Jr. is Morales' flag bearer for the fight. Meanwhile Pacquiao enters to a song that he recorded in the Philippines. By the way, Michael Buffer's "Let's Get Ready to Rumble" will never ever get old for me. At this point the hair on my arms is standing up. Larry Merchant warns us to hide the women and children.

Morales came out looking to lay it all out and to his credit wasn't looking to run. Morales looked really awkward and off balance while Pacquiao looked strong. The telling moment in the first round was when Pacquiao landed a nasty right hook near the end of the round. Pacquiao had been criticized in the past for relying too much on his big left hand. Well not only was he not going to revert to that, he had added a new weapon for his weak hand. Round One was a good with some power punches being exchanged ast the engaged and counter-puched their way out. Pacquiao's shots just seemed to be stiffer, with more pop.

There is nothing I love more than Ray Torres, HBO's Spanish translator, adding his own inflection to the cornerman's instructions in between rounds. It's like theatre...from HELL.

Morales landed a few good shots on Pacquiao early in the second round, but Pacquiao just seemed like he was drawing him in just so he could absorb the first shot and respond with his superior punching power. Pacquiao was backed up against the ropes when he knocked Morales down with a booming left to the side of the head. The first knockdown of the last fight didn't happen until the 10th round. Morales made it up but it just signalled the beginning of the slaughter.

Round three started with more of Pacquiao baiting Morales in and knocked down Morales again midway point. Other than his fights with Pacquiao, Morales has only had one knockdown his entire career and that was called when his glove brushed the canvas. For the next minute and a half you might as well have stuck Erik Morales on a Meat Hook, because Manny Pacquiao went all butcher on his ass, tenderizing and carving him up until he put Morales out of his misery at the end of the round. While on his ass, Morales sat there and shook his head "no" to his corner. MORALES GAVE UP! I'm not criticizing him because really it was the right thing to do, but I never thought I'd see a warrior like Morales not get up and fight if at all possible. I guess he just had enough of not getting hurt by Pacquiao.

In the end, Morales was gracious in defeat, admitting that Pacquiao was too much for him. Meanwhile, Pacquiao stayed humble in his post-fight interview, and was careful not to call out Marco Antonio Barerra for his next fight. Whoever that next fight is I highly recommend you check it out. Three years ago Pacquiao was just an exciting wild puncher with knock-out power. Now he still fights like a thunderstorm, but now he's added discipline to his fighting style. He's not a fighter anymore, he's a killer. He fought with aura of invincibility that I've only seen in a handful of fighters in my lifetime. Tyson had it, Marvin Hagler had it, Roy Jones Jr. had it. Julio Cesar Chavez had it. Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Winky Wright have it now. Add Manny Pacquiao to that list.

Tags: Manny Pacquiao