Take Five: Erik Morales vs. Manny Pacquiao

Friday, Jan. 20, 2006 | 8:27 a.m.

Fight facts

The principals: Erik Morales (48-3, 34 KOs) vs. Manny Pacquiao (40-3-2, 31 KOs)

Stakes: Super featherweight eliminator

Time/site: 6 p.m. Saturday, Thomas & Mack Center

Tickets: $50 to $500 (box office, 739-3267)

TV: HBO Pay-Per-View ($44.95)

Featured undercard bout: Martin Castillo (29-1, 16 KOs) vs. Alexander Munoz (28-1, 26 KOs), World Boxing Association super flyweight championship

Betting line: Morales minus-110; Pacquiao minus-110. Will go 12 full rounds, minus-150; won't go, plus-130.

Undercard betting line: Castillo minus-650; Munoz plus-450.

1. Fast starters

Taking a barely disguised swipe at certain boxers in the heavier weight classes who prefer flight over fight, promoter Bob Arum predicted Morales and Pacquiao will engage in an all-out brawl. That was the case in their first encounter last March at the MGM Grand, when Morales won a close unanimous decision in one of 2005's most memorable fights. "There are no chess games with these guys," Arum said. "They're not going to stare at each other for 11 rounds and then fight the 12th."

2. Body work

Pacquiao said he learned from his mistakes in the first fight -- most importantly, his failure to go to the body -- as well as from Morales' miscues in his upset loss to Zahir Raheem in a lightweight bout last September. "In his fight against Raheem, I (saw) Erik's mistakes," Pacquiao of Kibawe, Philippines, said. "I need to use my jab more. I need speed, more movement and more body attacks." He's also free of distractions linked to disputes with a previous management regime, Pacquiao, 27, said. "I can train in peace knowing my team is looking out for me."

3. A glove supreme

Unlike the first fight, when he was contractually obligated to wear Winning brand gloves, Pacquiao plans to use his preferred brand, Reyes, Saturday. Morales is expected to stay with the Winning gloves he wore in the first bout. "The thing is that the Winning gloves, they are like pillows," Pacquiao's trainer Freddie Roach said. "They are not puncher's gloves, so they definitely have some effect on the punching power." Pacquiao's promoter Gary Shaw said, "He'll have the gloves of his choice. There will be no excuses this time."

4. Confidence man

Including a majority-decision loss to Marco Antonio Barrera in November 2004, Morales has lost two of his past three fights. A classic Mexican warrior, Morales would not entertain questions about what another defeat would mean in terms of his splendid 13-year professional career. "That's not the way I think," Morales, 29, of Tijuana, Mexico, said. "You prepare yourself to win. Losing is not in a winner's mentality." In fact, after his victory in the first fight, Morales believes he has Pacquiao's number. "I can take more risks with him now that I know what he can do," Morales said.

5. All shook up

Both fighters command the status of national icons in their respective homelands. Just as in the first fight, the arena figures to be filled with Mexican and Mexican-American fans supporting Morales and a big Filipino contingent backing Pacquiao. "Manny Pacquiao is the Elvis of the Philippines and Erik Morales is the Elvis of Mexico," Morales' manager Fernando Beltran said. "They're both Elvises." And given the firepower both fighters bring to the ring, Saturday's bout could become boxing's version of shooting out a television set.

Jeff Haney can be reached at 259-4041 or at haney@lasvegassun.com.