Two

Morales vs. Pacquiao 2

"The Battle!"

January 21, 2006

Thomas & Mack Center

 Las Vegas, Nevada

6pm PT / 9pm ET

On HBO PPV

WBC International Super Featherweight Title Bout

Champion Manny Pacquiao (40-3-2, 31 KOs) vs. Erik Morales (48-3, 34 KOs)

_________________________________________________________

Las Vegas , NV – The exciting super featherweight division has been defined by such great title fight

rematches including, Jack Bernstein & Johnny Dundee, John-John Molina & Tony Lopez and now the

division's two most powerful forces -- three-time world champion Erik ‘El Terrible' Morales and two-time

world titlist Manny Pacquiao. Morales and Pacquiao collide again in ‘The Battle !' -- the sequel to their

exciting March 19, 2005 championship fight. Morales vs. Pacquiao 2, for the WBC International super

featherweight title, takes place on Saturday, Jan. 21, 2006 , at the Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas, NV.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Wynn Las Vegas, ‘The Battle ' -- Morales vs. Pacquiao 2 -- will

be broadcast live on HBO Pay Per View.

“This is what boxing is all about – two great champions who always give it their all, each and every second in

the ring,” said Bob Arum of Top Rank.

“It's great to kick off 2006 with a fight as exciting as the rematch between Erik Morales and Manny

Pacquiao,” said Mark Taffet, HBO Senior Vice President of Sports Operators and Pay-Per-View. “January

21 figures to be an action-filled, quality night for pay-per-view boxing fans.”

Morales, 48-3, 34 KOs, of Tijuana , and Pacquiao, 40-3-2, 31 KOs of The Philippines, are world-rated No. 1

and No. 2, respectively, by the WBC.

Morales is universally regarded as one of the best boxers in the world and has fought in sensational battles

for years. The former WBC super bantamweight champion, two-time WBC featherweight champion and WBC

super featherweight champion, Morales became the second fighter from Mexico to win world titles in three

weight divisions – Julio Cesar Chavez was the first.

Morales' Hall of Fame caliber resume boasts victories over Marco Antonio Barrera, Carlos Hernandez,

Jesus ‘El Matador' Chavez, Guty Espadas, Paulie Ayala, Injin Chi, Kevin Kelley, Wayne

McCullough, Junior Jones, Jose Luis Bueno, Daniel Zaragoza and Hector Acero-Sanchez.

On March 19, Morales scored a scorching points victory over Pacquiao in a riveting bout before 14,623

frenzied fans in Las Vegas .

“Morales fought with the precision of a champion,” wrote Tim Dahlberg of the Associated Press.

“Morales, with arguably the biggest win of his career, was born to fight,” wrote Doug Fischer of Maxboxing.com

Pacquiao started fast and furious against Morales in a battle which brought fight fans to their feet many

times. Pacquiao won the first and third rounds on all scorecards as Morales weathered a huge firestorm.

Pacquiao won the seventh round on two scorecards and swept the ninth and 12th rounds. Morales won the

fight by the narrowest of margins, 115-113 on all scorecards.

“They told me he was fast and that he was a tough guy,” said Morales. “He sure was….”

Pacquiao's trainer Freddie Roach contended his fighter was hampered by the use of the wrong gloves.

“We had to use a certain brand according to our contract,” Roach said. “That's not the case this time. We're

using Reyes, a punchers glove.”

Pacquiao is a phenomenal performer in the ring having fought at a championship level for years. An

aggressive left-handed slugger, Pacquiao is recognized as one of the hardest punchers at any weight. He is

14-1-2 in his last 17 bouts, with all wins by knockout including a sensational stoppage of Marco Antonio

Barrera.

Morales vs. Pacquiao tickets are $500, $300, $200, $100 and $50. The box office number is (702)-739-3267.

The Morales vs. Pacquiao pay-per-view telecast, beginning at 9 pm ET/ 6 pm PT, on January 21, has a

suggest retail price of $44.95, will be distributed by HBO Pay-Per-View and will be available to over 50 million

homes. The telecast will be available in HD-TV for those viewers who can receive HD. HBO Pay-Per-View is

the leading supplier of event programming to the pay-per-view industry. For your Morales vs. Pacquiao 2 fight

week updates, log on to www.HBOPPV.com THE BATTLE IS ON!

- Press Release issued by Top Rank with a little editing from us (color, highlights, etc...)

Subject to change

(12/09/05)