Their first fight was a very tough fight that I felt Morales clearly won. Some people claim that the cut over Pacquiao’s right eye limited his chances over the second half of the fight but I disagree. He was simply outfought by a guy who could match him in size and power and who also wasn’t afraid of him.

          It’s odd because In Las Vegas nobody is really talking about this fight. In some ways it’s as though this fight is non-existent. The buzz just isn’t there in the gyms and a lot of people I talk to don’t even know the exact date of the fight.

          One reason that interest may be low is because of the round-robin effect. We have already seen Pacquiao and Morales fight each other and it might be more interesting seeing either guy against someone new. For example, can you imagine how exciting of a fight IBF Lightweight Champion Jesus Chavez would make for either guy? Add to it the fact that Morales is coming off an upset loss to Zahir Raheem last September and this fight just doesn’t add up to some people.

          I do expect the buzz to pick up a little bit when both guys hit town. Just seeing Morales and Pacquiao arrive in Las Vegas will stir some interest because it will make people realize just how close we are to fight time. To the everyday fan there is always something special about seeing a fighter up close and hopefully the momentum will build up at that point.

          I expect that Erik Morales will come to the Top Rank gym as he always does. I have a lot of great memories of training with Morales in the past and we are always sure to greet each other when we see one another. It’s funny because when I was training with Erik I weighed around 135 pounds and nowadays everybody on his team gives me a hard time because I have crept up to around 170 pounds. It’s all in good fun and it actually reminds me of just how down to earth his team is.

          When I was training with Morales we would train in Mexico City and I admit I loved training with him. We gave each other some good work and he always was respectful towards me. That alone is enough for me to root for him whenever he fights.

          I do recall one night in Mexico City when Morales asked me if I wanted to go to the movies with his team. I really wasn’t in the mood to go out but I didn’t want to be a poor sport so I decided to go. When we go to the movies it was funny because the movies were presented in English, with Mexican subtitles. I could understand everything fine while Morales and his team had to read the subtitles to keep up. I definitely didn’t expect that and from that point on I was always in the mood to go to the movies.

          Getting back to point I think that both Pacquiao and Morales will have life after each other in boxing. Regardless of how this fight plays out there will always be attractive match-ups for them out there against other opponents. Due to their exciting styles and willingness to meet the best I think it’s safe to say that both Morales and Pacquiao will be around for a good while, and that is good news for us all.

1-19-2006