Although Top Rank chairman Bob Arum claims Marco Antonio Barrera is interested in a big money rematch with Manny Pacquiao, it doesn’t look like the fight will come off the wraps because the Baby Faced Assassin remains under contract with Golden Boy Promotions.
Arum isn’t forcing the issue even as he recently said Barrera has sent feelers to initiate negotiations. He’s careful not to interfere in Barrera’s affairs since Top Rank and Golden Boy are already involved in at least two court cases.
Golden Boy vice president Eric Gomez confirmed the other day that Barrera is not a free agent.
“Barrera is under contract to Golden Boy,” said Gomez in an e-mail to The STAR. “Anybody who interferes with this valid contract will be sued.” That’s fair warning to those conjuring visions of luring Barrera out of Golden Boy to fight Pacquiao.
Gomez said the WBC decision ordering superfeatherweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez to stake his crown against Pacquiao should be respected. And if a purse bid is necessary to seal the deal, then the parties should be prepared to go through the process.
“The WBC ordered a purse bid for Marquez versus Pacquiao,” said Gomez. “So that should be the fight.”
Golden Boy, however, is scheduling a Sept. 15 return bout between Marquez and Barrera in case Pacquiao isn’t available. Last week, Pacquiao informed the WBC to strike him out as a mandatory challenger.
Gomez ruled out a settlement with Arum and said the battle for Pacquiao’s promotional rights will reach a closure in court.
“(I) don’t think there will be a settlement,” said Gomez. “It will go to trial sometime later this year.”
If the case drags in court, nobody gains from the protracted struggle – except the lawyers who’ll be charging astronomical legal fees for their services. Golden Boy and Top Rank certainly won’t benefit from a long wait.
Pacquiao stands to earn big money taking on Golden Boy’s fighters, including Barrera, Joan Guzman, Edwin Valero and Marquez. But if Top Rank and Golden Boy continue to squabble, Pacquiao will be forced to face opponents who are less marketable.
Arum, who made his promotional debut in 1966, said he’s amenable to a compromise although Top Rank’s row with Golden Boy precedes the case involving Pacquiao. Arum previously went to court to sue Oscar de la Hoya, seeking $4 to $10 million in damages. De la Hoya was promoted by Arum before forming Golden Boy.
Last year, Golden Boy sued Top Rank for contractual interference in Los Angeles. Pacquiao signed a contract with Golden Boy but later renounced it. Top Rank filed a counter suit against Golden Boy in Las Vegas. The cases were recently consolidated in Los Angeles where the Golden Boy office is located.
Both sides insist they have the upper hand. Arum said he scored a double victory when Nevada district court judge Philip Pro denied a motion for injunction that would’ve prevented Pacquiao from fighting Jorge Solis in San Antonio last April and the appeals court threw out Golden Boy’s motion for reconsideration. But the consolidation of the cases in Los Angeles, instead of Las Vegas, was considered a victory for Golden Boy.
“Unless the parties come to terms, this case could drag on and not to Manny’s best interest,” said Arum.
“I think Golden Boy has learned its lesson. The court of appeals took only a day to dismiss its motion. My contract with Manny is clear. Maybe, in a settlement, Barrera’s rights could be thrown in.”
Arum said Guzman is an option as Pacquiao’s next opponent since a native American tribe controls his contract where Golden Boy only has minority interest. Another possibility is Valero who is now promoted by Akihiko Honda of Japan although his registered manager is de la Hoya’s father Joel.
