Torn between two of the world’s biggest boxing promoters, the Mexico-based World Boxing Council (WBC) played it safe, hoping to create a win-win solution to a landmark case, when it approved the March 17 Marco Antonio Barrera versus Juan Manuel Marquez showdown as a ‘voluntary’ defense by Barrera.
Earlier, at the WBC’s annual convention, it was ruled that the winner of the Pacquiao-Erik Morales ‘Grand Finale’ would be installed as the mandatory challenger to Barrera, and would get outright chance to challenge the Mexican world champion.
However, owing to Pacquiao’s promotional problems, the WBC was put in a bind and had to cancel a planned purse bid for the Pacquiao-Barrera fight, citing that it needed to do ‘more research’ on the matter, while taking into account Pacquiao’s promotional woes.
Apparently, the WBC, the world’s most recognized boxing body, did not want to strip the Oscar De la Hoya-promoted Barrera of the WBC title for failure to defend against Pacquiao, while at the same time, giving Pacquiao and promoter Bob Arum a consolation by ruling that the Filipino icon can opt to defend his WBC International title on April 28 in Macau, China.
WBC president Jose Sulaiman, in his letter to Golden Boy Promotions, stated that “due to the difficult controversy and with the case being in Federal Court in the United States, the WBC will approve a voluntary defense by Marco Antonio Barrera against Juan Manuel Marquez on March 17 in Las Vegas, Nevada.”
However, the WBC, in the same letter, emphasized that the day after the Barrera-Marquez showdown, the free negotiation period between the winner and Pacquiao should commence, and should both parties fail to come to terms, the WBC will order a purse bid 21 days after the voluntary defense.
At that time, regardless of whether the fighters are still entangled in legal tug-of-war or not, if Pacquiao does not accept the fight, he will lose his mandatory challenger status. If Barrera or Marquez doesn’t accept the fight, his WBC title will then be declared vacant.
Pacquiao, meanwhile, may have to defend his WBC International super-featherweight title against a soon-to-be-announced opponent on April 28 in Macau, China.
Some not-so-notable names have been floated around by Arum as Pacquiao’s possible opponent, although the Filipino icon would have wanted no less than giving Barrera a chance to redeem himself from that eleven-round mauling he received from Pacquiao last time out.
Full Text of the WBC Order:
WBC APPROVES BARRERA VS. MARQUEZ BOUT
January 10th 2007
The World Boxing Council has run into a very serious problem in the Superfeatherweight division, due to the lawsuits in Los Angeles and Nevada federal courts, that Golden Boy Promotions and Top Rank Inc. have filed against each other; situation which has hindered
free negotiations for the mandatory fight between the previously mentioned division World Champion, Marco Antonio Barrera and his official challenger, Manny Pacquiao to take place; even though both of them have expressed they are willing to confront.
In order to give the federal courts time, in the sense of dictating a decision concerning the matter, the WBC approved a voluntary defense by Barrera versus Rafael Marquez, fight which will be held on March 17th 2007 in Las Vegas.
Meanwhile the WBC authorizes the defense of the international Superfeather title between Manny Pacquiao and Injin Chi or someone else, to be held in Macao, China, as it has been announced.
Regarding the mentioned subjects, the Champion is committed to have an obligatory defense versus Pacquiao if he does not lose, starting free negotiations one day after their respective fights. If an agreement is not reached, the fight will be auctioned 21 days after.
On this occasion, no matter how the issue is going in the courts, the Champion, as well as the challenger, are committed to set up free negotiations or go for an purse offer.
If they do not do so, if the challenger does not accept, he will be discarded as such. Given the case, if the Champion does not accept, the title will be declared available.
Rolly Matsushita Ready to Dethrone Tunacao, as Latter Arrives in Japan
Japan-based Filipino Rolly Matsushita (Lunas) informed this writer yesterday that he is ready to rock the world of OPBF bantam champ Malcolm Tunacao, saying that he has never been in better shape going into a fight and that he is putting all his focus on dethroning the talented Filipino southpaw.
Matsushita, who fights out of the Kashimi Boxing Gym, will challenge Tunacao for the OPBF 118-lb title this Saturday at the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan in what is expected to be a tough and competitive battle.
“I have already logged in 85 rounds of sparring under my trainer Miyaki ‘Mack’ Kurihara,” informed Matsushita, the former PABA flyweight champion, in a long-distance interview.
To prepare for Tunacao, Matsushita says he has been sparring against Benedict Suico and Jun Talape, who are both fighters belonging to the Wakee Salud Gym.
Suico and Talape had been especially commissioned to help Lunas defeat Tunacao. Both fighters are slated to return to the country on January 14, the day after the fight.
“With this fight, I want to give honor to my sponsor the Matsushita company,” added Lunas, who said that more than 30 branches of the Matsushita group will be rooting for him come fight night.
Tunacao, for his part, prepared long for this fight by training at the ALA Gym as well as, you guessed it right, at the Wakee Salud gym.
Tunacao, the former WBC flyweight king, arrived in Japan yesterday together with RP bantam boss Michael Domingo who is seeing action on the undercard.
The official weigh-in for the Tunacao-Matsushita fight takes place today at the office of the Japan Boxing Commission, which is located adjacent to the fight venue.
TUNACAO ARRIVES IN JAPAN FOR OPBF DEFENSE
Reigning Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) bantamweight champion Malcolm Tunacao arrived yesterday in Japan as he embarks on a titular defense against Rolly Matsushita on Saturday at the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo.
Also flying out to Tokyo was Philippine bantamweight champion Michael Domingo, who will be seeing action in the undercard against Japanese Kazuyuki Ichikawa in a ten-round non-title duel.
This will be Tunacao’s third defense of the OPBF title he won in late 2005, which he successfully defended twice last year. Matsushita, formerly known as Rolly Lunas, is a Japan-based Filipino fighter who used to rule as the Pan-Asia Boxing Association (PABA) flyweight champion. Since getting based in Japan, he has been unbeaten in two fights, although he remains a heavy underdog against the very talented Tunacao, who once reigned as the WBC flyweight world champion.
“I’ve sparred more than 100 rounds for this fight at the ALA Gym and RWS gym in Cebu. I’m very thankful to Sir ALA (sportsman Tony Aldeguer) for allowing me to train in his gym and for expressing his whole-hearted support,” Tunacao said in an interview before he left.
If successful, Tunacao said he wants to talk to his manager, Tokyo businessman Yasuo Matsuoka, to negotiate for him a crack at WBC bantamweight champion Hozumi Hasegawa, who is set to defend his title on April 29 in Kobe, Japan.
“That would be an exciting fight,” Tunacao said on a possible duel with Hasegawa, although he maintains he is not looking past the durable Rolly Matsushita.
