Pacquiao-Morales III moved to November

Manny Pacquiao will now have more time to prepare against Erik Morales after promoter Bob Arum decided to reset the rubber match between two of the world’s best pound-for-pound boxers to November.

The Pacquiao-Morales clash was originally set Sept. 16 after the former three-time world champion chose to use his option for a third bout with the Filipino ring icon following his devastating loss in their second match last January.

Arum, who handles Morales, had hinted of his preference to move the Pacquaio-Morales III to a later date in deference to Pacquiao’s forthcoming fight against another Mexican warriors Oscar Larios on July 2 in Manila.

Arum was interviewed by the Mexican website Box-Latino in Las Vegas, during the trouble-marred Floyd Mayweather-Zab Judah showdown.

Pacquiao is set to take on Larios at the Araneta Coliseum in a fight serving as his tuneup for his third fight against Morales and holding the third bout with Morales in September would be too close.

A fight with Morales would require at least three months of preparation for the Filipino boxing hero.

Another Mexican rival, WBC/IBF super-featherweight champion Marco Antonio Barrera, is also eyeing a return bout with Pacquiao. In fact, the Golden Boy Promotions, Barrera’s handlers, has even booked a Nov. 4 fight but Pacquiao chose to honor a third fight with Morales, which was stipulated in the contract he signed before their second bout last Jan. 21 in Las Vegas.

Against Larios, Pacquiao is set to open camp at the Wild Card gym in Los Angeles in May then after three to four weeks, they would move to Baguio for more intense workouts with three sparring partners to be brought from the US.

The Manila card is dubbed"Mano-Mano, Pacquiao versus Larios, Pilipinas Contra Mexico." — Dante Navarro