Pacquiao finishes Morales with blistering 3rd-round knockout

Showing no mercy, 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 (early Sunday afternoon in Manila) in the super featherweights' third meeting in 20 months. Referee Vic Drakulich stopped the fight with a little over a minute still remaining in the third round. Pacquiao thus defended his title and gets a shot at trying to wrest the WBC World Featherweight title from Mexican Marco Antonio Barrera. It was swift and decisive victory for Pacquiao who lost on unanimous decision last March 2005 to Morales, nicknamed "El Terrible." According to a dzBB radio report, Pacquiao was nursing a slight fever but still managed to floor Morales. Both fighters weighed in at an even 129 lbs. But Morales, though three years older at 30, had an advantage in reach — 72 inches to Pacquiao's 67 — and in height — 5'-8" compated to Pacquiao's 5'-6 1/2". Pacquiao's win-loss-draw card now stands at 44-3-2, with 34 of wins being knockouts. Morales's card now reads 48-6-0, with 34 knockouts like Pacquiao. Pacquiao, known for his excesses of punching power and courage, might have knocked Mexico's Morales (48-5) into retirement in a fight that was every bit as thrilling as their first two meetings — even if it didn't last nearly as long. The rounds The first round was an action-packed fight with both Morales and Pacquiao landing effective punches. Pacquiao had a slight edge in the round. 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. "He was coming to me, and he was not able to handle me," Pacquiao said. "I felt so much stronger than him. I was prepared to fight the best of Morales." Morales sat up after the final blows, but disconsolately shook his head at his trainer-father, Jose, in his corner — and Pacquiao celebrated another dynamic victory over the only man to beat him since 1999. Afterwards, Morales acknowledged he might be finished after 52 brutal fights, including four losses in his last five. "For the first time in my career, I actually felt the power of an opponent like I've never felt it before," said Morales, who also lost two of three fights in his previous trilogy against Marco Antonio Barrera. "I was hurt by the power of his punches, and maybe it's time to think about not doing this anymore. I had a great career. Maybe it is time." Thousands of Filipino fans among the sellout crowd at the 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. The fighters 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 January. 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. Pacquiao opened the third fight with a blistering series of combinations, and he only slowed down when Morales replied with tenacious jabs. But Pacquiao's momentum was overwhelming, and he had no shortage of ways to hurt his old foe. "I was faster and bigger than him," Pacquiao said. "I could tell in the second round he was surprised by my right hook." Pacquiao threw 175 punches in those 9 minutes, landing 54 percent — including 51 of his 71 power shots in the third round alone. Morales landed just 26 percent of his punches. "He was too fast and too strong," said Morales, who sat speechless in his corner for 5 minutes afterward. ``I did everything in camp necessary to win this fight. I didn't win it. It wasn't my night.'' International event Atlhough both fighters have only middling profiles in the United States, each of their three pairings had been an international event. 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 in March 2005, stunning and bloodying Pacquiao -- but 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. Pacquiao, who gained 15 pounds (6.8 kilograms) after making weight Friday at 129 pounds (58.5 kilograms), was guaranteed $3 million (€2.35 million) for the match. Morales will get at least $2.75 million (€2.15 million). Viloria-Romero bout Earlier, in an undercard bout, Mexican Omar Nino Romero managed to keep his World Boxing Council light flyweight title from Filipino challenger Brian Viloria by virtue of a draw unanimously decided by the judges, according to a dzBB radio report on Sunday. Viloria knocked down Romero in the ninth round of their 12-round bout, but the Mexican was saved by the bell. Filipino fans of Viloria were disappointed by the decision, based on interviews with dzBB reporters. Viloria almost floored Romero twice — in the second and sixth rounds. The second time the referee gave Romero a standing eight count. The bout between Viloria "The Hawaiian Punch" and Romero "The Giant Killer" is one of the undercard events in the much-awaited rematch between super featherweight contenders Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao and Erik "El Terrible" Morales. Viloria is ranked 28 and Romero 1 in their weight division. Pacquiao is ranked 1 and Morales 8 in their division. Also in the undercard schedule is the super bantamweight bout between Filipino Ernel Fontanilla and Mexican Oscar Blanquet. The bouts are taking place at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. Several establisments in the Philippines, both private and public, have set up TV sets hooked up to pay-per-view satellite broadcast of the event. Next stop: Barrera Contrary to earlier reports, the rematch between Pacquiao and Morales is an official battle for the World Boxing Council International Super Featherweight title, which Pacquiao holds. As winner of the bout, Pacquiao also won a chance to wrest the WBC World Featherwieght title from Mexican Marco Antonio Barrera. This is according to WBC president Jose Sulaiman who posted a statement in the organization's website (www.wbcboxing.com). "The World Boxing Council ratifies the approval and celebration of the fight in which The WBC International Champion Manny Pacquiao, Philippines, will make a defense of his title against Eric Morales, Mexico next Saturday, November 17 (sic - it's actually Nov. 18) , in Las Vegas Nevada, under the promotion of Top Rank," Sulaiman wrote. "Both fighters were subjected to the WBC regulatory 7 day pre fight weigh in under the witnessing of WBC representatives , with both making 136 pounds , being within the tolerance," he said. According to Sulaiman, "Manny Pacquiao, the WBC´s International Champion has not declined his participation in a final elimination bout in respect to the WBC´S ruling and therefore, if he wins, in addition to defending successfully his title, Manny Pacquiao will be declared the official challenger to the superfeather championship of the World , in the hands of WBC champion Marco Antonio Barrera." - GMANews.TV, with a report from AP