LOS ANGELES-Trying to hide dejection, Manny Pacquiao’s promoter Murad Muhammad waited all day for that one call from friend and Top Rank big boss Bob Arum so that he can relay the sad news with finality: Barrera-Morales III is “on” and Pacquiao will be left out without an immediate opponent.
Sounding tired and frustrated on the other end of the line, Muhammad confirmed that in an instant, the “gentleman’s agreement” between him and Arum has gone pfft. He also conceded that the team of Marco Antonio Barrera has gotten an inside track in bagging a dream grudge match with Erik Morales.
Arum, representing the camp of super featherweight double champ Morales, apparently agreed in principle with Muhammad to have his fighter face Pacquiao on Nov. 6 and both men were ironing out salient details of their own version of a contract.
It turned out, the New Jersey-based Muhammad only had a verbal agreement with Arum, the same man who steers the career of Juan Manuel Marquez, the opponent whom Pacquiao faced last and held to a controversial draw last May.
“I think we should say we had a deal, in principle, with Bob Arum. If Arum reneged on the deal, that’s something I can not help,” said Muhammad. “This is the nature of the business.”
Still optimistic, Muhammad hoped to get a call from Arum Thursday night just to confirm the news that a boxing fan’s dream match between Morales and Pacquiao is truly off.
“We’re not out yet as long as we haven’t gotten a call from Arum,” said Muhammad. “We’ll come up with something.”
Reports indicated that Arum has gone up to Big Bear, California to visit Oscar “Golden Boy” De La Hoya, who is deep in training for all the crowns staked by undisputed middleweight champion Bernard Hopkins. It was there where Arum got the nod of Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions, to have Morales face Barrera instead.
It has been reported that the remaining hope for a possible Pacquiao-Morales showdown is if Barrera, the same man who was badly beaten by Pacquiao last November, disagrees with the terms and conditions of their third meeting with Morales.
“People’s Champion” Pacquiao, a buzz saw who has knocked down most of his recent opponents as a featherweight and a super bantam, is one of the most feared fighters around. He expressed willingness to fight anyone, even the thought of moving up in weight, just to take on Morales.
With his fearsome reputation growing larger, Pacquiao seems to have grown as the fighter being avoided by the top guns in his division. Marquez, who apparently broke his nose after getting knocked down by Pacquiao thrice in the first round, has decided against forging a dream rematch and instead signed young mandatory challenger Orlando Salido for his next opponent.
Barrera, who expressed willingness to get back at Pacquiao after getting clobbered through 11 rounds in San Antonio, Texas, decided to look the other way. After winning his last match with Paulie Ayala, Barrera said that he wanted Pacquiao more than anyone else.
“We have to look for the next big thing,” said Muhammad, who mentioned the name of another Mexican Oscar “Chololo” Larios as Pacquiao’s next possible opponent.
“We can’t cry over that. God is great. If that is God’s will, so be it. I have a commodity that America loves. A master is born in the United States and his name is Manny Pacquiao,” said Muhammad.
Muhammad also took a swipe at the fighters who have evaded Pacquiao. “If they were only like Muhammad Ali, they wouldn’t sleep until they get a rematch. That’s what made Ali great.”
Should Muhammad finally get a call from Arum saying that the Pacquiao-Morales fight is finally canceled, talks exploring the possibility of fighting Larios will push forward.
“Manny will fight this year. He has to. I say he has to continue training and that he goes back to the gym (of Freddie Roach),” said Muhammad.
Larios, who won his last two fights as a featherweight, is also being promoted by Golden Boy Promotions, according to Muhammad.
