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Pacquiao Stops Morales With 3rd-Round KO

Sunday, November 19, 2006

 

By GREG BEACHAM, AP Sports Writer

 

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LAS VEGAS — Manny Pacquiao finished this trilogy with the flair befitting a movie star, knocking down Erik Morales three times on the way to a third-round knockout victory Saturday night in the super featherweights' third meeting in 20 months.

 

Pacquiao (43-3-2, 33 KOs), the Filipino phenomenon known for his excesses of punching power and courage, dominated Morales (48-5) in a fight that was every bit as thrilling as their first two meetings _ even if it didn't last nearly as long.

 

Both fighters came out with heedless aggression, and Pacquiao first knocked Morales down against the ropes late in the second round. Morales kept returning shots, but couldn't keep up with Pacquiao's pace _ and after a knockdown midway through the third, Pacquiao finished him with a devastating left hook with just 3 seconds left.

 

Morales sat up, but shook his head at his corner _ and Pacquiao celebrated another dynamic victory over the only man to beat him since 1999.

 

Thousands of Filipino fans at the sold-out Thomas and Mack Center chanted Pacquiao's name, worshipping their native megastar of film, music and endorsements _ and don't forget boxing, where he belongs among the world's top handful of pound-for-pound fighters.

 

(Story continues below)

 

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The 130-pounders split their first two meetings in the previous two years, with Morales winning a unanimous decision and Pacquiao replying with a TKO victory over "El Terrible" last March.

 

Their rivalry became one of boxing's better trilogies in recent years, with both punch-addicted brawlers dazzling casual fans and building rabid followings in their native lands.

 

Morales' career could be in trouble after four losses in five fights, including consecutive setbacks against Pacquiao. He also lost two of three fights in his previous trilogy against Marco Antonio Barrera.

 

While Pacquiao is a ferocious, straight-ahead puncher who's usually loathe to change his bombardment tactics for any opponent, Morales altered his training strategy and re-hired his trainer-father, Jose, for the third fight after firing him following a recent loss.

 

Though both fighters have only middling profiles in the U.S., each of their three pairings has been an international incident.

 

Television sets from Manila to Mexico City were tuned in to the pay-per-view telecast of a fight pitting perhaps the Philippines' most famous person against one of the toughest fighters in Mexico's long line of famed brawlers.

 

Thousands of Filipino fans traveled halfway across the world to Las Vegas for the fight, while thousands more came up from Mexico and Southern California to support Morales. The crowd of 18,276 was the second-biggest in the arena's history _ and a measure of the fighters' love in this fight-crazy town, where several closed-circuit broadcasts were opened as well.

 

Morales won their first bout with a unanimous decision in March 2005, sending a stunned and bloodied Pacquiao to defeat. While acknowledging he underestimated Morales, Pacquiao blamed the defeat on numerous distractions that he erased in the ensuing 10 months, leading to one of the signature fights of his career in the rematch.

 

Pacquiao battered Morales repeatedly last January, bruising his face and body before dropping him twice in the 10th round for the first TKO loss of Morales' career. Both fights were among their year's best, with the sluggers freely trading rallies to the delight of fans who became even more enamored with their favorites.

 

Pacquiao, who gained 15 pounds after making weight Friday at 129, was guaranteed $3 million for the match. Morales will get at least $2.75 million.

Earlier in the evening, Ricardo Torres won the WBO super lightweight title with a sketchy split decision over Philadelphia's Mike Arnaoutis. Mexico's Omar Nino also retained his WBC 108-pound title with a majority draw over former champion Brian Viloria of the Philippines, even though Viloria knocked down Nino twice.

 

Vanes Martirosyan, a 2004 U.S. Olympian, improved to 11-0 as a rising super welterweight with a fourth-round TKO of Edgar Reyes.

Edited by juicer
Link to comment

fyi, 10 congressmen flew to vegas just to watch the pacquiao fight

 

two reasons, gambling our countrys money and magpabango

 

i hate atienza and chavit

 

they are always trying to get attention whenever theres a pacquiao fight

 

 

 

OT:

 

well, its obvious that my posts here are being watched my some of our dear and fair moderators,

 

i would just like to say something to hotdog_lover

 

backread my november 6 post so you wont look more stupid

 

and whoever is responsible for deleting my posts, please back read more..

 

there are also lots of posts in there that are offtopic (its not just me)

 

just to give justice to the word fairness

 

 

 

morales will definitely retire this time

 

read his comments in the post fight inteviews posted in the boxing section of the yahoo sports site

 

i pity morales

 

but my hats off to this fighter

 

barrera, next to retire..

 

tsktsk!

 

bad manny!

Link to comment
fyi, 10 congressmen flew to vegas just to watch the pacquiao fight

 

two reasons, gambling our countrys money and magpabango

 

i hate atienza and chavit

 

they are always trying to get attention whenever theres a pacquiao fight

OT:

 

well, its obvious that my posts here are being watched my some of our dear and fair moderators,

 

i would just like to say something to hotdog_lover

 

backread my november 6 post so you wont look more stupid

 

and whoever is responsible for deleting my posts, please back read more..

 

there are also lots of posts in there that are offtopic (its not just me)

 

just to give justice to the word fairness

morales will definitely retire this time

 

read his comments in the post fight inteviews posted in the boxing section of the yahoo sports site

 

i pity morales

 

but my hats off to this fighter

 

barrera, next to retire..

 

tsktsk!

 

bad manny!

 

heheheh! feel free to express urself...

Link to comment

Morales:

 

"I did my best, Pacquiao was just too much for me"

 

"My father and corner told me to get up and try, but i just knew it was useless, sometimes it's good to know when your defeated and say goodbye"

 

"I have to think if i should retire, it was a nice night, good fans, full arena, it might be a good time to say goodbye"

 

 

"No i don't think the tough fights caught up to me, Pacquiao was just a different kind of fighter, he had something different from all the other previous opponents of mine"

Link to comment

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