Roll out the barrel. Stack up your chips. Call the bets.
It is fight time on Sunday.
I am sure many have already made their respective predictions on the outcome of the highly-hyped rematch between our very own Manny ‘The Destroyer’ Pacquiao and Mexican warrior Erik ‘El Terrible’ Morales on January 22, Manila time, in Las Vegas.
The two are climbing the ring for the right to challenge reigning World Boxing Council super featherweight king Marco Antonio ‘The Baby Faced Assassin’ Barrera.
But for Pacquiao and Morales, their pay per view (PPV) bout is more than just challenging Barrera, it is a matter of pride and redemption when they collide for the year’s first marquee match-up between two of the world’s best pound for pound boxers.
The two protagonists are coming off from different results of their last bouts against separate opponents in a card that featured both of them in September last year.
Pacquiao was workmanlike when he subdued another Mexican, Carlos Hernandez, with one second left in the sixth round in September last year while Morales suffered only the third defeat of his illustrious boxing career against former US Olympian Zahir Raheem.
Those results are garbage, however, when Manny and Erik climb the ring on Sunday, a match that will be aired by Solar Sports and ABS-CBN.
Manny’s redemption
Manny will try to erase the stigma of his first defeat in six years against the same fighter that he will be up to – Erik Morales.
When the two first met, Manny suffered a nasty cut over his right eyebrow in the fifth round due to an accidental head butt. Blood flowed freely, turning his nemesis’ pristine white trunks into crimson red.
Despite his hampered vision, Manny fought a gallant fight worthy of emulation. He refused to quit. Instead, he fought like a proverbial wounded tiger.
The bout swayed back and forth with neither fighter really seriously hurt despite dropping bombshells after bombshells like they are carpet-bombing Vietnam.
In the twelfth round, Manny rocked Morales and drove him to the ropes with barely thirty seconds left. The crowd was on its feet as the bell rang. The two gladiators were met with a rousing and thunderous ovation.
When the verdict was announced, Morales’s hands were raised in triumph. The Mexican eked out a narrow but hard earned unanimous decision.
Comes Sunday, Manny promises it is pay back time.
Shift in strategy
Long time trainer and confidante Freddie Roach vowed it would be a different Manny when he enters the Thomas and Mack center Sunday.
Members of Team Pacquiao, including Manny himself, have obviously learned their lessons well.
This time, Manny will not look for an early knockout and won’t rely too much on his killer left straights – his bread and butter.
His manager American Shelly Finkel is confident Manny will win.
“I don’t know if it will go the distance but I am confident Manny will win,” Finkel was quoted by sports buff and boxing analyst Quinito Henson.
Team Pacquiao is mum on the exact strategy Manny will employ on the ring. But sportswriter and boxing aficionado Recah Trinidad wonders if Manny will use his right hand more often.
The last time I saw Manny shadowboxed – that was sometime in November last year inside Rey Golingan’s Spartan gym– he showed a new arsenal to his vaunted power punching abilities.
Those are wicked hooks to the body and crackling uppercuts off a jab from his opponent. Some of those tricks were used against Hernandez. And those proved to be very effective and destructive.
One thing is also certain, Manny will use his tremendous outburst of sped and stamina – stepping in and unloading quick killer combinations and getting out before Morales could unload his counterpunches just like he did when he battered Barrera into submission in eleven rounds some three years ago.
Manny was also told by Roach to keep off the ropes.
Manny tends to cover himself up with his hands once his back is against the rope preventing him from delivering his punches, an insider in Team Pacquiao said.
But there is no telling when Manny will go for the kill.
Manny is known to unload his bombs when his opponent his hurt and will go for a knockout.
Against Morales, however, Manny will have to be selective in his timing. After all, no fighter has ever delivered a legitimate knockdown punch against Morales who is known for his granite chin and excellent defense. Much more, Morales has never been stopped throughout his career.
The odds
Like any other marquee match-ups, the odds in the Pacquiao-Morales 2 bout are split either way.
Early on, Manny was tagged a 7-5 favorite but last month, Morales was on the upper hand.
Expect the odds to be about even until weigh in time. That would be on Saturday (Manila time).
Manny, however, strives very well when the odds are up against him, especially with opponents like Morales who is undoubtedly headed to the Boxing Hall of Fame when he hangs up his gloves.
But Morales is notorious for fighting a fight to the level of competition. He is lackluster against lesser opponents but brings out the best of him when matched up against quality fighters which Manny undoubtedly is.
In my last column, I said do not hedge on your bet until the first bell rings.
This time, I dare say Manny will become the first man to knockout Morales.
When I had the chance to talk to him during the birthday of Brian Golingan, I saw fire in Manny’s eyes. His jaws were gnashing with the mere mention of Morales.
While publicly Manny is coy about predicting the outcome of his fights, he said then that the bout will not go the distance. And it won’t be him who will be down on the canvass at the end of the fight.
Before he bid adieu that night, I dared Manny to finish off the Mexican inside five rounds.
Manny just smiled and said, “Tingnan natin (Let’s see).”
