The 1993 Team Terrible, featuring the father and son tandem of three-time world champion Erik Morales was one of boxing’s storied ensembles of the nineties.

The engaging Tijuana bunch did well in ambushing boxing’s elite in their 13-year run, amassing three world title belts replete with millions of US bank notes that invariably went to the bank of d’winnah.

A bond of filial loyalty flourished in the closely knit group with the nucleus staying intact until the hard-punching Mexicano went loco by firing his mentor—El Papa Jose.

It was a costly blunder coming as it did when Erik dealt Manny a nasty beating in their first meeting at the MGM Grand.

In the rematch, Morales suffered his first knockout in 52 fights, a 10th round stoppage by Pacquiao who was devastatingly hot in that cold January night.

That was then.

Now, Daddy is back and son Erik is insisting on a win that could close out the Pacquiao-Morales heated rivalry.

The Filipino ring marvel says he’ll be at the Thomas and Mack Center to personally hand Morales his retirement papers after he does a repeat-thrashing of the game Mexican.

Morales’ forced retreat to a secluded barrio could happen if he fails in his crucial bid against Pacquiao who continue to excel over all of the other Mexican standouts to include , Juan Manuel Marquez, Marco Antonio Barrera, David Diaz etc.

And why is the Cotabato Marvel hell-bent in sending the Tijuana Warrior to an early pasture?

This has got to do, I suppose with Pac Man’s plan to jump into a political ring, a risky move away from the roped square where he reigns supreme.

Now, to the hottest query I get these days as to who of the two great talents gets ticketed early out of the hunt?

“The guy who can’t put together in one package– speed, grace and power,” Eddie Futch– trainer par excellence.

While Manny is an excellent fighter, his poise gets skewed during fierce exchanges–thus accounting for such ungraceful demeanor in a given setting.

But he can punch faster and decidedly harder than any of the mittslingers seeing action in his weight class.

Morales is assuring of an all out, hand-to-hand fracas that’ll not only bring closure to his exciting battle with the GenSan superman but of untold riches as well.

Aah, such braggadocio.

Generally viewed as a fight that compels fans to pick a winner, I am declining to predict how this stirring rubber bout will play out knowing that a wrong pick would be calamitous– if you dig what I mean.

But really, the impending fistic war, rife with unrelenting power punching could rival the intensity of the strife currently plaguing Iraq and Afghanistan.

Now will Pac Man’s subalterns stop raiding his coffers and observe a moment of truce as intermediaries try to end the war for control of Pacquiao’s fortune?

Just asking.