|
Thursday, March 17, 2005
Pacquiao in Vegas, belittles Morales
By Charles Raymond A. Maxey
FILIPINO ring warrior Manny Pacquiao arrived in Las Vegas Monday night and declared he is ready to face Mexican pug Erik Morales in their 12-round super featherweight clash scheduled on March 19 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.
Pacquiao, the southpaw from General Santos City, hit Vegas from Los Angeles with the rest of Team Pacquiao led by his American trainer Freddie Roach.
Pacquiao wore a Los Angeles cap and a jacket with the colors of the Philippine flag and his trademark No Fear shirt underneath.
He and his entourage were warmly greeted by hotel staff and fans, and immediately interviewed by journalists at the hotel lobby.
Pacquiao, in an interview with Fightnews.com, said he expects to weight around 128 or 129 during the weigh-in Friday.
The Filipino boxer also said he is not bothered at all moving up in weight to face one of the most ferocious Mexican fighters today.
"I'm not worried about the punching power of Erik Morales. He does not punch as hard as Marco Antonio Barrera," Pacquiao told Fightnews.com's Christopher Bronte.
Pacquiao annihilated Barrera in 2003 to shot himself to boxing prominence.
Barrera rebounded from that loss with two wins, the last one when he dethroned Morales for the World Boxing Council super featherweight crown in November.
Pacquiao will bring into the fight speed and power to offset the experience and height advantage of his rival.
Morales, who trained in the Otomi mountains away from the public eye, had vowed to come up with the fight of his life against his much younger and faster foe.
For Bisaya stories from Davao. Click here. (March 17, 2005 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board.Click here. |
|
[return to top]
[home]
[network page]
|
LOCAL NEWS
BUSINESS
OPINION
SPORTS
LIFESTYLE
FEATURE
SUPERBALITA
WEEKEND
|
