MURAD MUHAMMAD was practically jumping up and down for joy moments after seeing Marco Antonio Barrera deal Erik Morales a beating.
Dancing in his head was the thought of a megabuck rematch between Barrera and Manny Pacquiao, who had administered the Mexican a brutal loss a year ago in San Antonio, Texas.
But his joy turned to disappointment after he was told that Barrera was not ready to face Pacquiao. Not so soon, anyway.
“I spoke with Richard Schaefer, the CEO of Golden Boy Promotions, and told him what?s their next move. I told him Manny is more than willing to grant Barrera a rematch but he said Manny has to fight Oscar Larios (the WBC super-bantamweight champion) before facing Barrera,” Muhammad said upon his arrival yesterday.
“I told him there?s no sense in Manny meeting Larios,” said Muhammad, but obviously, the other camp was not in a hurry to have the rematch although that seemed to be the next recourse as fight fans would want to see him get a revenge on the Filipino.
In short, Muhammad was told that Pacquiao must first beat Fahsan, then Marquez, then Larios and then they begin to talk of a rematch.
Muhammad, who arrived yesterday from Los Angeles, however, quickly changed the tone of frustration on his voice when told that Freddie Roach has been doing a tremendous job in honing up Pacquiao for next week?s clash with Fahsan 3K Battery of Thailand.
“I am pleased to know that Manny is in good shape because I want him to focus on this fight because he?s fighting (Juan Manuel) Marquez on Feb. 26,” he said.
“He?s gotta be in shape because the Thai guy means business,” added Muhammad.
Pacquiao is arriving in Manila from Davao tomorrow night with Roach and a battery of trainers.
Pacquiao now weighs between 128 to 130 lbs, making it impossible for him not to make the weight limit of 126 lbs considering that the New Jersey-based International Boxing Federation has approved that the fight as a title elimination match.
“Manny is in shape now and almost ready to go,” said Roach, who revealed that the last sparring day will be Monday at the Wild Card Gym on Presidents Ave. in BF Homes, Para?aque.
Fahsan and his party are arriving on Monday from Bangkok.
The two are scheduled to size each other up on Tuesday afternoon in a press-public preview at the Wild Card operated by Pacquiao?s business manager Rod Nazario.
Pacquiao is guaranteed a purse of R16.8 million, while Fahsan gets $25,000.
