WITH the rematch between Manny Pacquiao and Marco Antonio Barrera becoming brighter with each day, so too are the prospects of having the highly anticipated fight staged in Manila in front of the Filipino sports hero’s compatriots.
In Los Angeles, upon instructions of Rod Nazario, Pacquiao’s business manager, American promoter Murad Muhammad of M&M Sports and Richard Schaeffer of Golden Boy Promotions are set to begin talks for the return bout between Pacquiao and Barrera.
Muhammad, who is based in New Jersey, plans to call up Schaeffer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions owned by boxing idol Oscar dela Hoya, on Tuesday or Wednesday to set a timetable for the fight where both boxers want to settle some old scores.
“Manny Pacquiao, Rod Nazario and I, we have all concurred that Marco Antonio Barrera deserves a rematch,” said Muhammad in a telephone interview.
Once the terms, conditions and the date of the rematch is set, Nazario said he intends to fly to the United States “at a day’s notice” to support Murad in convincing Home Box Office executives to have the blockbuster bout held in Manila.
Pacquiao punished Barrera in 11 one-sided rounds last November 15 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas and wrested the “People’s Champion” belt away from him.
Until Pacquiao beat up Barrera, the Mexican ring icon called the “Baby-Faced Assassin” was considered the best featherweight in the world pound-for-pound.
But with his impressive ten-round stoppage of former two-time world junior featherweight champion Paulie Ayala in Las Vegas on Sunday, Barrera now thinks he can emerge the better fighter in his return to the ring against “PacMan.”
“Once the Pacquiao-Barrera rematch is a done deal. I am willing to fly to the US and help Murad in convincing the HBO top executives in having the fight staged in Manila,” Nazario said. “We will be financially able to stage the fight here.”
“I just talked to people who are willing to support the promoting today. And they said the willing to put up the money for the rematch. They assured me that they could easily raise $1.5 million locally for the fight,” added Nazario, who, however, declined to identify who his financiers were.
“You will know in due time,” he said.
One of the likely supporters of the Pacquiao-Barrera Manila rematch is telecom giant Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co., which has a juicy endorsement deal with the Filipino champion.
“With the money we will be able to raise for the Manila bout, HBO won’t have to spend too much for the event and just cover the difference,” Nazario said.
Muhammad said a rematch with Barrera is important in order to prove to everyone that Pacquiao clearly won the fight, since the Mexican has been claiming their charge’s off-ring distractions were one of the reasons he absorbed his fourth loss in 62 outings to Pacquiao.
“We need to show the world that the victory was no fluke, no accident, and it was Pacquiao’s excellent performance that won him the fight,” Muhammad said.
Nazario said one of the earlier misgivings of the bigwigs of the American cable TV giant was the security in conducting the event in the Philippines, considering they intend to send around 45 people for the fight.
“But I have been assured that our police and military will help in ensuring the security of the fight, considering that this is not only a major international sports event but a big showcase for our country,” he said.
“Definitely, having the Pacquiao-Barrera rematch in Manila will be a great image-booster not only for Philippine sports but for the entire nation as well.”
The Filipino boxer’s business manager disclosed that he already had the commitment of Araneta Coliseum owner Jorge Araneta to have the Big Dome as the fight site.
“Mr. Araneta has already given the go-signal for us to have the fight staged at the Araneta Coliseum. He is even willing to give us certain considerations since this is also for the country,” Nazario said.
He said he would invite top HBO director Gary Davies, who megged the pre-fight primer between Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez, for an inspection to see for himself the how the bout will be organized and broadcast back to the US for the TV outfit’s pay-per-view audience.
Nazario said a local giant TV network has also offered its modern facilities so that HBO won’t have to ship it own broadcast gear to Manila for the satellite feed of the planned fight.
“Given these support, I think the Pacquiao-Barrera Manila rematch seems pretty good,” Nazario said.
Barrera’s right hand man, Roberto Diaz, said that after Barrera got a warm send-off Sunday night right after his victory, the 30-year-old Mexican warrior will go back to the gym in no time.
“He will relax for a while and be with his family, but everyone who knows Marco Antonio Barrera believes that he will come back strong like when he lost to Junior Jones and Erik Morales in the past,” Diaz said.
