A concerted effort to help stage a second ?Thrilla in Manila? featuring a rematch between People?s Champion Manny Pacquiao and legendary featherweight Marco Antonio Barrera is under way.
Promoter Murad Muhammad is negotiating with Barrera?s handlers ? Golden Boy Promotions of Oscar de la Hoya ? as well as attempting to convince HBO Sports to come to Manila and cover the blockbuster event.
Pacquiao?s business manager Rod Nazario told Viva Sports/Manila Standard that Murad had called to inform him of his discussions with CEO Richard Schaeffer of Golden Boy Promotions and confirmed that HBO was interested in a rematch, possibly on Sept. 25.
Nazario disclosed the only problem appeared to be HBO?s willingness to have Manila as the site. Nazario said he ?suggested to Murad to invite top executive Kerry Davis to visit Manila to see for himself the venue and the TV facilities available because he might then change his mind.?
HBO had security concerns about bringing in a crew of about 40 persons and indicated it would cost almost $1 million to also bring in TV equipment for the coverage.
However, Nazario said the major networks such as ABS-CBN and GMA-7 have top-class equipment and would be willing to help, thus saving on costs of flying in equipment. He also said the country has qualified cameramen and technical personnel, who could do the job.
Nazario added, ?if not this fight, the next fight of Manny? although he confessed it would be ?impossible to get World Boxing Association/International Boxing Federation champion Juan Manuel Marquez or Erik Morales to fight in Manila.?
The two are wards of Top Rank?s Bob Arum, ?who thinks we?ll do the same thing he did to us in the Marquez fight in Las Vegas,? where a scoring error by judge Burt Clements robbed Pacquiao of two world titles.
Araneta Coliseum owner Jorge ?Nene? Araneta told Standard he was always hoping that a Pacquiao fight could be held at the venue where Muhammad Ali battled ?Smokin? Joe? Frazier in a classic Thrilla in Manila in 1975.
Socialite and philanthropist Baby Arenas, who is well-known for her ability to bring in some of the greatest entertainers in the world such as Luciano Pavarotti and Andrea Bocelli to Manila at tremendous cost and has won plaudits for her efforts, has also spoken to Nazario about the possibility of staging a Pacquiao fight in Manila. Nazario indicated details ?are on the table and she will get back to me.?
