NEGOTIATIONS FOR a planned rematch between Manny Pacquiao and Marco Antonio Barrera before the year comes to a close have apparently collapsed, Richard Schaefer of Golden Boy Promotions told the Bulletin yesterday. ?I am discussing other opponents for Marco Antonio Barrera, potentially the new WBO 130lbs champion Mighty Mike Anchondo and Oscar Larios will be fighting Frankie Archuletta (the fighter who most recently beat Johnny Tapia),? Schaefer said, stressing that Larios, another fighter being eyed earlier to battle Pacquiao, also has different plans.
Golden Boy Promotions, which promotes Barrera, is owned by Oscar dela Hoya.Schaefer hinted that his promotional outfit is having problems dealing with Pacquiao?s promoter, New Jersey-based Murad Muhammad. He did not explain why talks for a pay-per-view fight between Pacquiao and Barrera came to a screeching halt.Pacquiao?s business manager, Rod Nazario, had earlier revealed that he will try to bring in Scott Harrison, the reigning WBO champion, to Manila to stake the title against Pacquiao in October.
Pacquiao hasn?t fought since drawing with Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez, who Schaefer said, will likely meet the Filipino southpaw in a rematch sometime in January.Harrison holds a 22-2 win-loss card with 12 knockouts is best remembered for stopping the aging Manuel Medina to win the WBO 126-lb crown last year.Barrera and Pacquiao fought in November last year at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, with the Asian underdog scoring the year?s biggest upset by way of an 11th-round knockout.Barrera resurrected his career last month when he mauled Paulie Ayala in 10 rounds at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California.
