Contrary to earlier reports, reigning World Boxing Council super featherweight champion Marco Antonio Barrera said he is rooting for fellow countryman Erik “El Terible” Morales over Filipino ring icon Manny “The Destroyer” Pacquiao when the two colorful and fierce fighters collide next month in another war for the ages.
“I’m rooting for Morales because as Mexicans we have to root for one another,” Fightnews.com quoted Barrera as saying during yesterday’s press conference announcing Barrera’s title defense against South African Mzonke Fana (22-2, 8 KO’s) on April 9 at the Don Haskins Center in El Paso, Texas.
Barrera was obviously speaking of Morales’s forthcoming March 19 superbout with Manny Pacquiao on HBO Pay-Per-View at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Barrera will be defending for the first time the title he seized after dethroning arch-rival Morales. Fana, the challenger, beat Cebuano Randy Suico, the reigning OPBF jr lightweight champ, via controversial split decision in his last fight to earn the No.1 ranking and a shot at Barrera’s crown.
Barrera’s most recent pronouncement has somehow dispelled reports that the handlers of Barrera want to see Pacquiao win over Erik Morales so that there will be no hitch for a mega-rematch between the past and current featherweight People’s Champion before the year ends.
“My heart wants to see Manny win over Morales. I think a rematch with Pacquiao will be as big as Barrera-Morales III,” said Roberto Diaz, the right hand man of Barrera, who reportedly went as far as relaying pointers and fight plans on how Pacquiao could duplicate what Barrera did last year when the latter beat Morales in their third encounter.
“We want to see Barrera-Pacquiao II or even Barrera-Pacquiao III. We no longer want Barrera-Morales IV. We want to finish it once and for all,” added Diaz, saying that Barrera is aching to avenge the one-sided loss he suffered at the hands of the General Santos City-native punisher.
