Pacquiao, Morales square off over bottles of beer

After three vicious fights in the ring, it would have been quite hard to imagine Manny Pacquiao and Erik Morales sharing one table, enjoying a "few rounds" of beer.

But past midnight of Saturday shortly after the Mexican boxer arrived from the US, it did happen on the classy 25th floor lounge of the Diamond Hotel along Roxas Blvd.

Morales is in the country for a short vacation reportedly promised him and his wife by a Filipino friend, who lives next door the Mexican couple who keeps a house in California.

The Moraleses quietly slipped into the country on board a Northwest flight, and were brought straight to the hotel where Pacquiao also spent the night.

Pacquiao and Morales, who formed one of the greatest trilogies in boxing history, met past midnight and shared a "few rounds" of San Mig Light.

"They had great fun until the wee hours of the morning. They both enjoyed the beer. They looked like they were the best of friends," a source told The STAR.

Morales and Pacquiao and trainer Freddie Roach were supposed to shoot a TV commercial for San Miguel Light this week. No one could confirm whether the plan would push through.

Diamond Hotel is linked with San Miguel Corp., probably explaining why the two future Hall-of-Famers were billeted there. Pacquiao is SMC’s biggest product endorser.

Pacquiao left Manila for Davao yesterday morning and will be back today.

Morales, on the other hand, had lunch at the hotel’s Japanese-inspired coffee shop. According to a staff, the 30-year-old fighter ordered for a ham and cheese sandwich.

Shortly after, the Moraleses were brought by their friends to Alabang where they briefly stayed in the house of a Filipino doctor. They planned to do some shopping at the Alabang Town Center.

Sources said the Moraleses will be brought to the luxurious Amanpulo Resort off Palawan this week for a few more days of fun under utmost privacy and the radiant sun.