By Tim Smith

Photo © Chris Cozzone/FightWireImages 

The mid-term congressional elections were last week and there were volatile changes in Washington D.C. as the Democrats took control of both the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Those elections may be over, but there is still one referendum on the boxing ballot that has to be decided and that is whether Erik Morales can continue to be a force among upper echelon of boxers in the game today. This issue will be firmly in the hands of Manny Pacquiao, the incumbent force in the junior lightweight division. If Pacquiao (42-3-2, 32 KOs) successfully punches Morales’ ticket in Las Vegas on Saturday night (HBO Pay Per View), then the Mexican icon may be forced to hang ‘em up for good.

Morales (48-4, 34 KOs) has lost three of his last four matches, including his last fight against Pacquaio that saw the Filipino dervish smashed Morales from ring post to ring post until referee Kenny Bayless called a halt to the beating after 10 rounds.

Morales, just 30 years old, looked slow and plodding in that match 10 months ago. He had plenty of excuses why he looked worst against Pacquiao the second time around. He had dumped his father as his trainer and had changed location of his training camp.

“I just made too many changes in my routine from my camp,’’ Morales said. “I should have just stayed with what I had. I think that’s the big difference.’’

Bob Arum, Morales promoter, thought that Morales might have hurt himself in that fight by losing too much weight improperly. He had a personal trainer from Velocity Sports Performance, an LA fitness training outfit, work with Morales to get him in shape for this fight.   

“Yes, working with Velocity has been a real good thing to do,’’ Morales said. “I think that we took a lot of time to get ready for this fight for the weight, to make the weight, and I feel real strong, and I think that’s going to be the key.  Not only losing the weight but be real strong after it.’’  

“For this fight, I know I’m going to be 100 percent. I feel real good.  I think I’ve worked real hard for the last three months and I’m ready.  I’m going to be as ready as I’m ever going to be for a fight.’’

Morales beat Pacquiao in the first meeting. And if he wants to win on Saturday night, he’s going to have to use the same blueprint. In that fight, Morales used his height and reach to his advantage. He didn’t allow Pacquiao to use his speed to get inside. He kept Pacquaio at a distance with his jab and then used pinpoint accurate punches to punish Pacquaio whenever he tried to work his way inside.

“The problem with the first fight was there were a lot of distractions with my manager and my promoter and my personal problems,’’ Pacquiao said.  “I was on top of that first big fight in the early rounds. But after I was cut, I lost focus and I lost the fight.’’

“But second one, I did great. I trained harder and we made our training count.  I had the right gloves, I used my right hand more and more effectively and I went straight at Morales with a lot more confidence and weapons. So that’s why we dominated Morales in the second fight.’’

Pacquiao will enter this fight with similar management distractions that he had the first time that he met Morales. This is his final deal under his agreement with managers Nick Khan and Shelly Finkel. And though he has signed a deal to be promoted by Golden Boy Promotions, Arum, who is promoting this fight against Morales thinks that Pacquiao could wind up at Top Rank. His mind might not fully be on what is happening in the ring. If that is the case, the Morales, if he is in tip-top shape, can take advantage of that situation.

Pacquiao can afford a slip up. He is not the one coming off a loss and there are no doubts about his abilities. But Morales knows that this could be the end of the line.

“You know, at the first fight I needed to win,’’ Morales said.  “I had an urgency. I needed to get credibility back in my career after coming off a tough loss. I think I was ready.  I prepared myself as well as I ever have for that first fight and it showed.

“I feel very good about this fight.  There’s no pressure, I feel no pressure.  I know what I needed to do to get to this fight, to win this fight and I’ve done it.  I feel like I’ve done everything I needed to do and that I don’t see why there should be any pressure for me in this fight as long as I did my work, which I have done, and be ready for this type of fight.’’