LAS VEGAS, 21 March 2005 — Manny Pacquiao fought desperately with blood flowing down his face from a bad cut over his right eye. Against another fighter it may have been enough, but Erik Morales was not just another fighter.
Morales, fighting with the cool precision of a champion who has been there many times before, got the better of Pacquiao with jabs and big right hands Saturday night to win a close but unanimous decision in their super featherweight showdown.
No title was at stake, but there was plenty of national pride. Pacquiao is a national hero in the Philippines while Morales is revered in Mexico, and between the two they drew a sellout crowd of 14,623 to the MGM Grand hotel to see them brawl. They didn’t disappoint, going after each other from the opening bell in a fight that grew in intensity after Pacquiao was cut in the fifth round when he was hit with a right hand and the two boxers clashed heads.
In the undercard, Martin Castillo of Mexico retained his WBA 115-pound title with a unanimous decision over Eric Morel (35-2) of Puerto Rico. Castillo (28-1) won 119-109 on all three ringside scorecards in his second title defense. Though blood flowed in his eye, Pacquiao fought gallantly and the two fighters went toe-to-toe in a frenetic 12th round that had the crowd standing and cheering.
All three judges had Morales the winner, but not by much. He won 115-113 on the ringside scorecards, while AP had Morales ahead 116-112.
