Pacquiao far the best in rematch with Morales

Pacquiao was paid $2 million for the fight, and both he and Morales earned it by bringing in their supporters among a crowd of 14,618 at the UNLV campus arena.

There's even more money on the horizon, with Pacquiao possibly meeting the other great 130-pounder, Marco Antonio Barrera, in a rematch of their first fight.

Pacquiao stopped Barrera in the 11th round of that November 2003 fight, a huge upset at the time. But now he has successfully moved up to 130 pounds and showed Saturday night that his rise to the top was no fluke.

Morales (48-4) had beaten Pacquiao in a 12-round decision last March, a loss Pacquiao blamed on problems with his promoter, his taxman and his gloves. He went into the ring Saturday saying he was 100 percent and that there would be no excuses, win or lose.

Trainer Freddie Roach said the plan had been to get inside Morales' jab this time and outwork him on the inside. It worked to near perfection, mainly because Pacquiao kept relentless pressure on Morales.

"His right hook was beautiful," Roach said. "But we still have to work on his defense a little bit."

Pacquiao said he knew as the rounds went on that the fight was his.

"I could see he was having problems taking my punches," Pacquiao said. "I had no problem taking his."

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