Morales is back; Pacman injured

By Nick Giongco

ERIK MORALES slipped into the country unnoticed Tuesday night to do a commercial, according to Top Rank big boss Bob Arum.

Morales is not in Manila and is expected to resurface this weekend with wife Andrea, Arum added.

Arum bared Morales’ Philippine trip during an interview with Gregory Leon of boxingtalk.
According to internet reports, Morales will shoot another commercial in the next few days, a perfect followup to his San Miguel advertisement that he starred on together with Manny Pacquiao and trainer Freddie Roach that was filmed in mid-January.

"Erik is in the Philippines making another commercial and he’s going to be returning to fight David Diaz sometime in June for the WBC lightweight title.

The fight will either be in the Midwest or Chicago," Arum said.

When Morales and his wife came here in January, a television station was able to shoot the pair being escorted out of the arrival area en route to the Diamond Hotel.

During their brief visit, the Morales’ vacationed in the ultra-luxurious Amanpulo resort in Palawan before shooting the TV commercial for San Miguel that became a big hit not only among fight fans but viewers as well.

Morales and Roach were paid well for their appearances in the commercial that was shot in a high-end village just outside of Manila.

Meanwhile, Pacquiao sustained a cut on his left eyebrow while he was sparring at the Wild Card Boxing Club yesterday, according to a report by GMA Channel 7.

The cut was a minor one and was not that serious for the promoters to postpone his April 14 bout with Mexican Jorge Solis at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.

"Hindi ko na mabilang kung ilan ang sparring rounds ko pero everything’s going smooth as far as my training is concerned," said Pacquiao while relaxing at his apartment at the Palazzo in Los Angeles.

Pacquiao lawyer Franklin Gacal was able to talk with Pacquiao yesterday "but Manny did not tell me about the cut that he suffered."

"I am a bit concerned because it will surely be the target of Solis," added Gacal, who will file Pacquiao’s COC today in Koronadal.

Pacquiao is running against incumbent Darlene AntoninoCustodio in the first district of South Cotabato in the May 14 polls.