East advises Manny to attack early

Former World Boxing Association superlightweight champion Morris East, now living in the US, said the other day Manny Pacquiao must knock out Erik Morales inside six rounds or else he will lose their 12-round pay-per-view bout at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas this morning (Manila time).

East, quoted by boxing scholar Hermie Rivera’s son Noel, told Pacquiao to go for the kill early because Morales never runs out of steam and is more dangerous in the late going.

"Kung hindi ma-knock out ni Manny si Morales within six rounds, talo siya," mused East. "Magaling tumapos kasi si Morales lalo na sa late rounds."

East based his analysis on what happened to Pacquiao in his fight against Juan Manuel Marquez last May.

"Tingnan mo yun nangyari sa laban ni Manny kay Marquez," continued East. "Kung hindi niya napatumba sa round one, talo talaga si Manny sa decision. Ganoon kung kalaban mo pati promoter."

East referred to Bob Arum who is promoting the Las Vegas fight. Arum happens to be Morales’ promoter.

East said he spoke to Pacquiao on the phone the week before they headed for Las Vegas.

"Nakausap ko si Manny at gusto raw imbitahin si Louie (Espinosa) sa laban," related East. "Binigay ko kay Manny ang telephone number ni Louie para sila na lang ang magusap. Hindi totoo na si Louie ang tumawag kay Manny at humingi ng ticket sa laban."

East said Espinosa lives with a garage mechanic named Frank in Fairfield, near Vallejo.

East, 31, reigned as world champion in 1992-93. He is threatening to stage a comeback.

Meanwhile, world-ranked Hawaii-born Filipino flyweight Brian Viloria’s father Benjamin said yesterday Pacquiao will beat Morales because of his awesome power.

Like Pacquiao, Viloria trains under Freddie Roach at the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles.

"I saw Manny train nine weeks for Morales," said Viloria’s father in an e-mail to The Star. "We became like family because we were in the gym every day for over two months. I noticed in Manny the desire to lift up our country. Manny’s fight is just like the motivation for every Filipino to get out of poverty. Whether he loses or wins, he is our pride. He is a world boxing superstar. He has captivated the world like Ali did."

Viloria’s father said Roach will play a big role in the fight.

"Manny is schooled by one of the most prestigious trainers in the planet right now," he continued. "His preparation for the fight was longer than for any previous fight. His strength is unbelievable. As for his boxing style, it is hard to read because it’s not in the textbooks. He has his own unique style. And Manny’s power is devastating. It’s a gift from above."

Viloria and his father were given tickets by Arum to watch the fight in Las Vegas. "We’ll be there and cheer for Manny," said Viloria’s father.

As for the judges, he said he’s crossing his fingers and hoping for the best. "Not every fight is politically motivated," he said. "I’m hoping Manny just gets a fair deal."

One of the judges, Paul Smith, scored a 114-all draw in Morales’ third meeting against Marco Antonio Barrera in Las Vegas last November. Barrera won on a majority decision.

He said Morales’ two-inch height advantage won’t be a factor because Pacquiao’s quickness will compensate.

"Morales is a well-tested warrior who knows his craft," added Viloria’s father. "Manny is the same. That’s why the fight is a sellout because it’s difficult to say who has the edge. It’s well-matched. The fighter who dictates the fight in the first two minutes will be the winner."

Viloria, 24, boasts a 16-0 record, with 10 KOs. He represented the US at the Sydney Olympics.

Although he is the World Boxing Council No. 2 flyweight, Viloria said he could drop to the lightflyweight division for the chance to fight for the title. His contract with manager Gary Gittlesohn has expired and he’s now negotiating to sign up with Arum or Cedric Kushner or Oscar de la Hoya.