Morales wants 4th bout with Pacquiao

MANILA – Returning Mexican champion Erik Morales, the last fighter who defeated pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao, is setting his sights for a possible fourth clash with the seven-division world champion.

“Defeating Pacquaio is my greatest accomplishment in the ring. I would love another chance at Pacquiao,” Morales said in a media event as quoted by Gareth A. Davies of The Telegraph.

“El Terible” Morales, 33, is coming out of retirement after leaving the sport in 2007.

He will make his comeback on March 27 in Monterrey, Mexico where he will face World Boxing Association (WBA) lightweight champion Jose “Jicaras” Alfaro of Nicaragua.

“Alfaro is a great young fighter and a former world champion. A wicked puncher who will bring his best. He has a big heart and always gives fans everything he has,” Morales said of his 26-year-old opponent.

The Mexican and Nicaraguan will fight for the vacant World Boxing Council (WBC) intercontinental welterweight title at the Arena Monterrey in Nuevo Leon.

“At 147, I’m faster than ever and freer with my body so I can get the most out of it,” said Morales, adding that he would also like to slug it out with compatriot Juan Manuel Marquez.
Morales has 48 wins (with 34 knockouts) and six losses while Alfaro has 23 wins (with 20 KOs), five defeats and one no contest.

Career-defining foes
Morales scored a unanimous decision victory over “Pacman” Pacquiao in March 2005 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las, Vegas Nevada.

The Filipino boxing icon fired back at Morales in their next two fights. He scored a 10th round technical knockout win in January 2006 and blasted a 3rd round knockout victory in November 2006. Both bouts were held at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.

Morales, meantime, mentioned that Pacquiao and retired American boxer Junior Jones were the opponents who defined his career.

“Defeating Jones was important to me because he had stopped something like 32 Mexicans in previous fights,” he noted.

Pacquiao (51-3-2, with 38 KOs) successfully defended his World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight crown against Ghanaian Joshua Clottey via unanimous decision at the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas last Saturday (Sunday in Manila).

No one has been named as his next opponent, although the clamor for his fight with Floyd Mayweather, Jr. remains even if negotiations for their bout collapsed due to their disagreement on the drug testing protocol. Trainer Freddie Roach, meantime, said that Venezuelan Edwin Valero could be next for Pacquiao.(abs-cbnnews.com)