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Heart and Soul – Pacquiao v Morales III
SUN November 19, BUSTER PARIS - The Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, NV - it's the rubber match between Manny "Pac Man" Pacquiao (43-3-2) and Erik "El Terrible" Morales (48-5) --- Manny has won the first two rounds. In the second round he knocked Erik down - winning that one by a score of 10-8.
It's round 3 - it starts off cautiously and then Pacquiao starts landing some solid shots - and as we know every time Morales gets hit he has to hit back - and he has to hit back harder -- it’s almost like an obsessive compulsion beyond his control to do so - and it’s one of the things we love most about him --- so here we are in round 3 with both fighters trading fast, solid and dangerous blows - and sadly we notice it --- it’s subtle, but building - there’s an impending sense of finality gathering momentum …
Let's take a Batman inspired flashback moment:
Ba na na na naaaaaa…
March 19th 2005 – in between rounds 11 and 12 - Erik Morales' corner begs him, pleads with him:
“...you got the fight in the bag. PLEASE – don’t get over confident. Be careful!”
1:50 into the 12th round and Erik switches feet. He steps forward with his right foot and is in the Southpaw stance! -- he's in Manny Pacquiao's world now.
Manny starts to land some monstrous shots. Pounding overhand lefts and heavy pulverizing rights. Erik wobbles off balance and throws a few sloppy rights of his own, but he’s no Southpaw.
The fight shifts and they are both head to head and slamming away at each other.
“…PLEASE…be careful!…”
The brutality of the moment is beautiful and Erik may not be a natural Southpaw, but he is fighting in his “natural position”.
He has sheer force of will that enables him to refuse to go down, that causes him to hit back harder when he’s hurt, that posses him and doesn’t allow the possibility for him to abandon the Southpaw stance - even though he is getting rocked. His natural position is the sheer force of will that refuses to win or lose this battle any other way, but the risky way.
(Morales wins via a 12 round decision)
Ba na na na naaaaaa...
January 21st 2006 - the rematch - Round 10 – Morales is working that jab again and Pacquiao is working the body. Erik’s hands are dangerously dangling by his sides. He’s exhausted and Manny is skillfully pecking away at him like an evil woodpecker.
Then with 52 seconds remaining in the round the world stopped - Erik Morales goes down.
They say it’s only the second time in his career, but the first time was only a glove swiping the mat - so truly this is the first and only time hitting the canvas.
Erik is up at the count of 9 and then with 27 seconds remaining Erik Morales is unimaginably put down again.
Referee Kenny Bayless stops the fight – and 2:33 into the 10th round the world is forever changed.
Erik Morales is TKO’d.
The instant replay is like watching the Zapruder film – reliving John F. Kennedy’s assassination and knowing that from 1963 on - an entire nation will irrevocably be changed forever.
That’s how it feels at 2:33 into round 10. That’s how it feels when Kenny Bayless waves the fight over.
Erik Morales is TKO’d. The impossible has happened and the world is irrevocably changed forever.
Ba na na na naaaaaa...
Back to today - November 18th 2006 - round 3 – the rubber match - and it’s a brutal fight – both fighters throwing with everything they have – heart and soul, but through the fog of war you can see that this is Manny’s fight – he’s faster, sharper, stronger and he’s hurting Erik, but as we all know too well Erik doesn’t accept that.
Pacquiao and a hurt Morales are slamming away at each other – Manny lands a huge and hard right hand on Erik’s head and the sheer nature of physics makes Erik buckle some and his back finds the ropes – as he moves towards the rings center – Manny follows – and as he’s stepping backward – Manny attacks – and at 1:24 remaining – Erik Morales is on the canvas and for a second or two there’s something on his face – an odd expression we’re not used to – but before the emotion has time to register – heart and soul - Erik is on his feet.
Manny comes at Erik again and attacks – Morales absorbs and then out of nowhere he nails ‘Pac Man’ with a shot – and Manny for a second is hurt and yet still managing to throw punches, but ‘El Terrible’ is avoiding and slipping them – and then Pacquiao does something we’re not used to – he holds Morales.
Then – with 34 seconds to go – Manny lands a shot and you can see it register completely on Erik’s being – and in a split second you can feel the change – like a weight has been lifted off your stomach – like a collective force of energy has been inhaled by Manny Pacquiao as he is about to become something … more.
Pacquiao is landing hard and heavy hands – Morales is clearly tired and backing up - and then at 14 seconds is down.
He has this unforgettable and almost indescribable look on his face – he glances at the ref – then looks across the ring to his corner – to his father – and his eyes say it all as he shakes his head no – heart and soul - and two words silently echo in the nothingness of the universe:
I’m done.
HBO’s Emmanuel Stewart said it best – the look was exactly the same look that Alexis Arguello had in his 2nd fight against Aaron “Hawk” Pryor (September 9, 1983) as he sat on the canvas in round 10 – and it was over.
Not to take away anything from Manny Pacquiao – he’s a great and talented fighter – but the bigger story today … right now … is the end of Erik Morales’ career.
Morales was one of the greatest heart and soul boxers we’ve ever seen. He taught us all what it means to be a warrior and gave the sport of boxing some of the best fights we’ve ever had the privilege to watch.
On a personal note – I always draw inspiration from our sport and take life lessons from the happenings of our heroes in the ring – for me - Erik Morales always exemplified and personified a way to deal with certain adversities in life – give as good as you get – when whatever the hardship is that’s hitting you – absorb it and just hit back harder – keep fighting – heart and soul.
Buster Paris can be reached at: bparis@talkingboxing.com - and always enjoys receiving your thoughts, comments and questions
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