MANNY PACQUIAO believes Marco Antonio Barrera remains a livewire opponent regardless of what others think.
Pacquiao and Barrera are finally going at it for the second time on Oct. 6 at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas after Top Rank and Golden Boy Promotions (GBP) agreed on a compromise agreement in relation to the promotional rights over the much-sought after Filipino southpaw with the help of Daniel Weinstein, a retired San Francisco judge known across the States as an A1 mediator.
“I am truly happy that a rematch is going to happen,” said Pacquiao from General Santos City. “I can assure boxing fans that this is going to be a great fight and to those who say Marco Antonio Barrera is finished are mistaken.”
“Barrera remains a dangerous opponent and I believe that did not accept this fight for the money. There is too much pride left in him. He will fight to win,” added Pacquiao, who stopped Barrera in the 11th round the first time they met in Nov. 2003 in Texas.
Top Rank and GBP appeared to be headed on a long court battle had it not been for the timely intervention of Weisntein, who executives of the two promotional firms credited for finding a way for them to sit down and discuss business.
“I am absolutely relieved that this is behind us and that we will work together to make some great fights,” Top Rank chairman Bob Arum told Dan Rafael of ESPN.com. “I think it?s tremendous for boxing.”
GBP chief executive officer Richard Schaefer went further in describing the alliance between the two outfits.
“We are very pleased that we were able to do this. Boxing is the big winner. It?s an important day for boxing when you have two of the biggest promotional companies settling their differences and moving on to do things together. We can bring fans great fights. Top Rank and Golden Boy working together is great news for the sport,” said Schaefer.
“He played a very instrumental role,” Schaefer said of Weinstein in the same article that appeared on ESPN. “If not for him, I don?t think we could have done this. He really took ownership of the case and understood how delicate it was.”
“Anybody who tells somebody not to use a mediator in this kind of situation is out of their mind. This guy was tremendous in getting both of us to realize how destructive our conduct was and how productive it would be to work,” said Arum.
As this developed, Pacquiao is set to fly to the US anytime this week to set the stage for his training at the Wild Card Boxing Club under Freddie Roach.
But before reporting for duty, Pacquiao will still attend to some business matters and participate in a poker tournament in Las Vegas this month.
It could not be determined how much Pacquiao would earn for the rematch but his Canadian adviser Mike Koncz said Pacquiao is going to earn a lot more.
Koncz also went on to say that Top Rank will remain in full control of Pacquiao?s affairs even after the Barrera rematch although GBP will have participation in some other matters.
Pacquiao, surprisingly declined to comment on the tieup between Top Rank and GBP.
