18.01.06 – Ex-boxing champ Tim Austin predicts this week’s Mega fight between Erik Morales of Mexico and Filipino boxing sensation Manny Pacquiao will be a real cracker and he issues a challenge to the winner.
“I see Manny winning this time and I am looking forward to a third fight,” said Austin, the super bantamweight banger who hails from Cincinnati Ohio. “I think it’s going the distance and these two will put on an even greater fight.”
Morales had beaten Pacquiao on a narrow decision last year at the MGM Grand but Austin is upbeat this time that the Filipino southpaw whose trainer is Freddie Roach will “win by decision.”
Morales and Pacquiao will fight for the World Boxing Council International super featherweight championship. Also on the line will be mandatory challenger status to WBC champion Marco Antonio Barrera.
“Whoever wins, I would like to challenge the winner. I am ready to regain a world championship and return to the upper echelon of the sport,” says Austin (27-1-1, 24 KOs), who defended the bantamweight title nine times from 1997-2003 and is back after a 2½- year layoff. He is currently ranked #8 in the January WBC ratings and the ‘Cincinnati Kid’ eagerly anticipates a title fight sometime in the new year. “They must put me in the mix in 2006,” says the 1992 Olympic bronze medal and the former IBF bantamweight champion.
Austin won the International Boxing Federation world title in July 1997, from Mbulelo Botile of South Africa on an eighth-round knockout. Botile broke Austin’s jaw with a left hook in the first round, but Austin fought through the pain and knocked down Botile in the seventh round – then right-hooked him into la-la land in the eighth. Miraculously, Tim had fought on for 7 more rounds with a broken jaw against an undefeated champion and turned the tables to score a clean cut victory. Later, he would have to endure a twenty hour operation to repair the damage to his jaw. Austin showed serious heart that night.
With that win, Austin introduced himself to the boxing world as a champion to look out for. During his reign of nine title defenses of the IBF bantamweight title, “The Cincinnati Kid” became a regular on big pay-per-view cards, including those of Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield, Felix Trinidad and Julio Cesar Chavez. Pound for pound, the 118-pound Austin was rated one of the best fighters ever.
Trainer Aaron Snowell said boxing insiders compare Austin with many of the all-time great boxers.” Timmy, has all the tools that a fighter needs: power, speed and boxing skills. His power is one of the best in the Super Bantamweight division, and maybe he’s one of the best pound-for-pound fighter’s in all of boxing,” he recently commented.
“I am not saying I am a great fighter. I just want the opportunity to prove to the world what I already believe. There is no use talking about it. I would rather show it in the ring. I am just looking for the chance. I want to fight the biggest names and the toughest guys. I have to make the public see what I see in myself. That is the only way I will create interest,” Austin said.