LOS ANGELES-Promoter Murad Muhammad still has to hook up with business manager Rodolfo Nazario in Florida so that both can decide and announce a concrete fight itinerary for People’s Champion Manny Pacquiao soon.
According to Muhammad, it may take them until Thursday (Friday in Manila) to announce “something” and begged to broadcast details of Team Pacquiao’s plans yet.
Nazario flew to the East Coast with his wife, Supreme Court Justice Minita Chico-Nazario, on Friday from Los Angeles to visit a son in Orlando, Florida. Muhammad was expected to rendezvous with him there to discuss pertinent matters but still, nothing has come up from Pacquiao’s handlers.
The feeling of uncertainty and boredom has started to creep up on Pacquiao, who has started training without knowing who will he face next.
“It is hard to concentrate and train when you do not know who you will face next,” said Pacquiao in his native tongue, the universally-recognized king of featherweights becoming restless day by day. Pacquiao is uncertain if he will continue to fight as a featherweight or would probably step up in weight.
The list of possible opponents became shorter yesterday as handlers of Marco Antonio Barrera and Erik Morales belied reports that the two Mexicans are looking the other way.
In fact, the first formal press conference for Barrera and Morales is set on Saturday at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada, the same day Oscar De La Hoya fights Bernard Hopkins, according to Roberto Diaz, Barrera’s right hand man. Top Rank spokesperson Ricardo Jimenez also belied published reports that the Morales camp is looking at the possibility of facing former Cuban superstar Joel Casamayor.
Pacquiao will be traveling to Las Vegas to watch that fight on Saturday as he was reportedly given two special ringside seats by HBO.
Of special importance to Pacquiao is the championship match between IBF and WBA featherweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez and mandatory challenger Orlando Salido in the main supporting bout.
Ironically, Pacquiao wants no upset to happen.
“I still want Marquez to win so that he can face me in the near future,” said Pacquiao, aching to settle the controversial draw with the Mexican once and for all and “uno mas” (one more time).
Pacquiao could have won by a split decision over Marquez last May had judge Burt Clements correctly scored the first round (10-7) correctly for Pacquiao who knocked Marquez three times. The score should have been 10-6.
Pacquiao also said that he is itching to trade punches with Morales or even Barrera. In the event of a Morales win over Barrera, he would still give Barrera a rematch but only after he deals with Morales first.
“Barrera deserves a second chance. He gave me the opportunity to show the world what I was made of and a rematch is just proper, especially if he wins over Morales,” said Pacquiao.
Pacquiao’s inactivity has also made trainer Freddie Roach wonder why a man of his ward’s stature and popularity has had problems to book fights.
“There is a problem somewhere,” said Roach, who, in his experience, said that it was highly unusual to have Pacquiao remain inactive and fight only twice a year. “One of the best fighters in the world, pound-for-pound, should easily get fights and not appear like he is begging for one.”
