By Ricardo Lois

The New Year brought more than rain for this Los Angeles, California resident. Harboring the final day of seemingly endless rain and wind, news reached my e-mail account from Top Rank representative Ricardo Jimenez, Manny Pacquiao and Erik Morales will be fighting March 19, 2004.

Fight fans should send Saint Nick a Thank You note, the jolly old elf put a stellar fight schedule for 2005 under their Christmas trees. As Juan Manuel Marquez and his trainer Ignacio Beristain haggled Top Rank over their end of the purse for a rematch with Pacquiao, Morales sneaked in the back door and took their payday.

Ironically Beristain has told this writer on several occasions that Top Rank seems more interested in promoting Morales than Marquez.

Juan’s loss is the fight world’s gain.

Coming off of a disappointing loss to old rival Marco Antonio Barrera, Morales will be set to restore his image as THE Mexican legend of this particular era. A clear victory over Pacquiao, whom easily conquered Barrera, adds ammunition to Morales’ argument of being the best Mexican.

The ball of fury called Pacquiao faces his stiffest challenge to date. Morales settled into the junior lightweight division during 2004 and will be the bigger man when he battles the pinoy. If Pacquiao, who is moving up in weight from featherweight, defeats Morales, he will gain infamy in the psyche of Mexicans as a slayer of their best boxers.