LAS VEGAS, NV (November 17, 2006) — Three-division world champions and national icons MANNY “PACMAN” PACQUIAO, from The Philippines, and ERIK “EL TERRIBLE” MORALES, from Mexico, put it all on the line Tomorrow Night! in “The Grand Finale!” — the 12-round WBC International title fight rubber match of their amazing super featherweight trilogy.. Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Wynn Las Vegas, Morales-Pacquiao III will be broadcast live from the Thomas & Mack Center, on the campus of UNLV, on HBO Pay-Per-View, beginning at 9 P.M. ET / 6 P.M. PT
* THAT’S THE TICKET…Their two previous fights have been fought before soldout Las Vegas audiences. With approximately 16,000 tickets sold as of this morning (arena is scaled for 17,000), Daren Libonati, from host Thomas & Mack Center announced at yesterday’s press conference that Pacquiao-Morales III is already the third- biggest fight ever held in the building behind the Julio Cesar Chavez – Hector Camacho title bout, which sold 19,000 (2,000 were standing room only tickets, according to promoter Bob Arum), and Lennox Lewis – Evander Holyfield 2, which sold 17,000…
* MAX-A-MILLION… The first two Pacquiao-Morales epics have attracted over 700,000 combined pay-per-view purchases. HBO Pay-Per-View’s Mark Taffet announced that Saturday’s “Grand Finale!” would be the biggest of the three fights, assuring that the trilogy would go over the landmark one million pay-per-view for total purchases — a milestone for fighters under the junior welterweight division (140 lbs)…
* QUOTH THE ROACH (Part II)… Pacquiao’s trainer, World-Famous Freddie Roach, had this to say at yesterday’s press conference: “If this fight were a movie, it would be called ‘The Pacman Alaways Rings Twice,’ said Roach, who seems just as inspired for this fight as Pacquiao. “On Saturday night, Manny is going to give his fans and the world an encore performance of his last fight with Morales and it will be Morales’ bell he rings for the second time.”…
* ERIK THE READ… “I’ve been reading everything Freddie Roach has been saying and it seems to me he just likes to hear himself talk,” said Morales. “After seeing Manny’s brother and fellow Roach fighter Bobby Pacquiao lose a title on the scale and then get disqualified for low blows last night, perhaps Roach would be better off worrying more about his own fighters than me. I hope Roach is hungry tomorrow night, because I’m serving him a big slice of Humble Pie after he eats crow”…
* LET THERE BE LIGHT…The metropolitan Las Vegas blackout for the Pacquiao-Morales III Pay-Per-View was lifted earlier this week and will be available to all cable and satellite TV subscribers. Closed circuit venues have also been set up at Wynn Las Vegas and The Beach on Convention Center Drive to accommodate overflow fans who waited too long to purchase tickets at the Thomas & Mack Center …
* PURSE STRINGS… Arum told media at Pacquiao’s Tuesday’s media workout that Pacquiao and Morales are guaranteed purses of $3 million and $2.75 million, respectively, plus upside from pay-per-view sales…
* ODDS-AND-ENDS…The Wynn Las Vegas Race & Sports Book morning line as of 6:30 A.M. PT (Wednesday’s odds in brackets):
* Morales +210 / Pacquiao -250
(Morales +200 / Pacquiao -240)
* Will Go 12 Full Rounds -155
(-160)
* Won’t Go 12 Full Rounds +135
(+140)
* Morales by Decision 5/2
* Morales by KO 4/1
* Pacquiao by Decision 7/5
* Pacquiao by KO 9/5
(2/1)
* Draw 12/1
* WEIGHT! THERE’S MORE (or Less)…The Official Weigh-in will take place Today! at the Cox Concourse at the Thomas & Mack Center. Pacquiao and Morales step on the scale at 2:30 P.M. The undercard weigh-in will begin at 3 P.M.
* MEDIA CENTER / MEDIA CREDENTIAL OFFICE OPEN HOURS.. The Media Center and the Credential Office, located at the Wynn Las Vegas LaFite Ballroom #2 and LaFite Ballroom #1, respectively, are open today. Daily hours are 10 am – 6 pm.