Top Rank’s Bob Arum, who is locked in a legal battle with Oscar De la Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions over the promotional rights of superstar Manny Pacquiao, has just added to the drama when he told the media in New York yesterday that he now wants to stage the Pacquiao-Marco Antonio Barrera rematch on September 15 in Las Vegas.
According to Arum, the fight may not stake any belt, as the two fighters do not need one, and it is the fight that the fans and the network want to see.
Reports have it that Barrera still has one more fight left with his promoter Golden Boy Promotions, and he will be willing to sit down with GBP to discuss a possible fight with Pacquiao. However, if Barrera does not get the fight, the plan is for him to get a fight in Mexico, and then face Pacquiao.
“Manny Pacquiao would fight on the 15th of September in Las Vegas because it is the fight that the television network and the fans want, and the rival would be Barrera or Juan Diaz or Joan Guzman, in an interesting combination and not the fight with Juan Manuel Marquez,” Arum told mediamen.
Barrera is reportedly aching for a rematch with Pacquiao before he retires, as he wants to avenge his humiliating 11th-round technical knockout loss at the hands of the Filipino in 2003.
Earlier, Golden Boy Promotions had already locked September 15 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas for the WBC titular defense of Juan Manuel Marquez, with Barrera, Pacquiao, Edwin Valero or Jorge Barrios as posssible opponents.
Arum’s recent pronouncement of a September 15 fight for Pacquiao will definitely add excitement to the already explosive rivalry between the two American boxing outfits. The veteran promoter also added that after Pacquiao-Barrera in Las Vegas, it would be Pacquiao versus Humberto Soto in Vancouver or Macau.
Arum also hinted that he wants to see Pacquiao versus Barrera in a rematch, while Marquez can face Humberto Soto for the WBC super-featherweight crown, with the winners facing each other next.
Soto, however, has to get past Bobby Pacquiao on Sunday for him to even think of a mega-fight with the Pacman.
“I believe that I have prepared myself better than Bobby Pacquiao and I will get a win,” said Soto.
The Mexican fighter, however, cited the talent of American trainer Freddie Roach, who will be calling the shots of Bobby Pacquiao’s corner.
Roach had declared in Los Angeles last week that Soto would be the more dangerous opponent for Manny Pacquiao compared to Marquez or Barrera.
