By Mark Workman

Last Saturday night, Manny “Pac Man” Pacquiao and Erik “El Terrible” Morales continued their super featherweight war that thrilled fans ten months ago. But this time, Pacquiao, the exciting southpaw cyclone from the Philippines, stopped Morales for the first time in his career in an exciting clash that did justice to their first epic battle.

Boxing experts and fans the world over who gave Pacquiao (41-3-2, 33 KOs) little chance of defeating Morales (48-4, 34 KOs) are probably still scratching their heads trying to figure out what happened Saturday night.

What happened is plain and simple. Pacquiao gave future Hall-of-Famer Morales a severe beating, turned his face into something resembling that of the Elephant Man and floored him twice before referee Kenny Bayless stopped the massacre at 2:33 of round ten. Had it not been stopped, I have no doubt that Morales would’ve been badly hurt.

I’ve always believed that Manny Pacquiao had what it took to beat Erik Morales, just like he beat Marco Antonio Barrera, stopping him in the eleventh round just over two years ago. Simply put, the Pac Man proved to be the faster, stronger, more motivated and harder-punching fighter Saturday night, refusing to be outgunned again by “El Terrible.”

Pacquiao made the necessary adjustments and did what he failed to do in the first fight with Morales. Stepping up his game using a sustained body attack and increased use of his sometimes neglected right hook, Pacquiao did what no other fighter has ever done before and knocked out Morales for the first time in his career.

“It is such an honor. Morales is a legend. One of the best of all times,” Pacquiao said after the fight. “And to knock him out, to be the first person, it is great. I feel great about it.”

I hope that those who never believed Pacquiao could win this fight will stop with all of the reasons why Morales lost and just give Pacquiao the credit he deserves. Morales could not have been much more soundly beaten. There’s a lot to be said for a fighter who comes into the ring in excellent shape every time and gives us all he’s got. That is Manny Pacquiao.

Morales, the second Mexican to win titles in three weight divisions after the legendary Julio Cesar Chavez, was on a downward spiral from round six on after suffering a broken nose inflicted by a Pacquiao right hook.

“He never hurt me,” Pacquiao said at the post-fight press conference. “He is a very sharp puncher and a very accurate puncher, but tonight he never hurt me.”

Pacquiao controlled the fight with his power and speed and two-fisted attack. Between the seventh and eighth rounds, Morales complained to his corner that his legs were tired. Near the end of the ninth round, Morales was taking such a beating from Pacquiao that he actually backed away from Manny to avoid more punishment, a clear indication that he was on the way down and out.

“I think I had him sometime in the eighth round,” Pacquiao said after the fight. “I knew the body punches were wearing him down, and I knew that if I could keep landing them, I’d probably get him. I think it was the body attack that really hurt him.”

Pacquiao has now proven that he’s quite possibly one of boxing’s pound-for-pound best, and a rematch with kingpin Barrera undoubtedly looms in the future. I’m convinced that a rematch with Barrera will end the same way as did their first fight, with Pacquiao stopping Barrera in brutal fashion. And I wouldn’t be surprised if he stopped him even sooner than last time.

Morales won a split decision victory over Barrera at super bantamweight in February of 2000 but has since loss twice to him in featherweight and super featherweight WBC title bouts. Pacquiao, also known as “The Destroyer,” fought Barrera in November of 2003 at 126lbs, stopping him in the eleventh round of a vicious non-title bout. Barrera’s brother actually jumped into the ring to save him as Pacquiao was unloading on Barrera with all he had.

Leading up to Morales vs. Pacquiao II, I did not agree with some who believed that Morales was on the decline because of his embarrassing loss to Zahir Raheem. But after seeing this loss to Pacquiao, I’m now beginning to think that Morales’ best days are now behind him.

Morales said in his post-fight interview that he intends to take a long vacation, but at age 29 will such a long vacation hurt or help him? I don’t think time is on his side. And I also believe that his fifty-two fights and many brutal wars are finally taking a toll on him.

“I just want to say that I heard that Erik Morales has been taken to hospital,” Pacquiao said at the post-fight press conference. “I just pray for him and make sure he is okay. I know he’ll be fine, but since it was because of me that he is there, I pray that everything is okay with him.”

After Morales’ loss to Raheem he said that he didn’t prepare properly and didn’t take Zahir seriously. Now, after his loss to Pacquiao, he says that he was too tired and needs a vacation. He even went so far as to say that he had become “tired of boxing,” another indication that his desire to do what it takes to win is clearly waning. And as he approaches the age of 30 in September, I wonder if this is going to change much.

When asked by Larry Merchant in the post-fight interview if Manny had done anything differently in the rematch that he didn’t do in the first fight, Morales said that Manny did nothing differently. I guess the reality of the shellacking he had received and the knock out he had just suffered at the hands of Pacquiao hadn’t quite sunk in yet.

I really don’t see much point in a third fight between Morales and Pacquiao, as I truly believe that it will end the same way as long as Manny remains focused and prepares as well as he did for the second fight. He was in impeccable shape. And considering the strong momentum he’s created for himself, I don’t see him slowing down just yet. And it’s doubtful that Morales will ever be truly effective again at 130lbs.

After the fight, Pacquiao said, “I am going home to my country and I will rest. We will discuss who I fight next in the future. But first, I want to be with my family and friends. I want some rest!”

Many fans have been wondering why Morales has not received the same intense criticism after losing to Raheem that Zab Judah has endured after recently losing to Carlos Baldomir, both men losing badly for taking their opponents too lightly.

First of all, Morales did not have a unified title on the line that’s now shattered to pieces, as did Judah. Morales has also proven much more against stronger opposition than has Judah thus far. I’m not excusing Morales’ mistake but merely saying that the consequences of his mistake are not as serious and lasting as that of Judah.

And to now hear that the IBF may still recognize Judah as their champion and that the fight with Floyd Mayweather will move forward is absolutely appalling. What message does this send to our children and young fighters just starting out?

Does it say to them that you don’t need to be dedicated and work hard and that it’s okay to be a slacker and lose, yet still be rewarded in the end as long as you have someone like Don King behind you and an “unorganization” like the IBF above you?

This is another stark reason why the IBF and organizations like it need to be abolished and a national boxing commission created for this sport. This entire affair is an absolute despicable sham and Floyd Mayweather is just as guilty as Don King and the IBF for allowing it to happen. Again the sport of boxing gets dragged into the muck so a few can make some money.

And no one in their right mind actually believes that Zab Judah can beat Floyd Mayweather. I don’t. Zab Judah could learn a lot from a hard-working fighter like Manny Pacquiao.

Praise should go out to highly skilled Pacquiao trainer Freddie Roach. It’s a pleasure to watch a trainer work that maintains his cool in a tough fight and spares us all the constant expletives, as so many others seem incapable of doing. Some could learn a lot from Freddie Roach, a real class act.

Pacquiao is idolized by millions in the Philippines. He’s released a record album that has already sold more than 500,000 copies, and he has starred in popular Filipino action movies. He’s become an icon in his country.

Saturday night’s win over Erik Morales was not only a sweet revenge for Pacquiao but for the entire Filipino nation. “I know everyone in the Philippines is happy," Pacquiao said.

Pacquiao’s knock out of Morales and the hard work he put forth to accomplish it sang out his praise and loyalty to his adoring countrymen. His victory was more than just avenging a defeat; it was a salute to a nation.