Top Rank president Bob Arum is reportedly trying to undercut the planned Nov. 27 rematch between featherweight People?s Champion Manny Pacquiao by enticing the legendary Mexican featherweight to fight super featherweight champion Erik Morales in a deciding third fight between the two.
After Morales scored a rousing victory over Carlos ?Famoso? Hernandez in a unification bout last May 15, Arum announced that Morales would enter the ring again in late November in a blockbuster fight, giving an indication that it could be a third meeting with Barrera after the two split their first two fights, both in controversial fashion.
However, Manila Standard learned that Barrera is determined to first fight Pacquiao and avenge his 11th round humiliation last Nov. 15 in San Antonio, Texas before thinking of a deciding third fight with Morales.
If plans don?t miscarry, promoter Murad Muhammad is expected to finalize both the purse as well as the venue, sometime soon in discussions with Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaeffer since the outfit handles Barrera and HBO Sports.
There is a strong possibility that the Mandalay Bay Resort Hotel & Casino will be the sight of the rematch since the manager of the hotel is a Filipina, who appealed to Pacquiao?s business manager Rod Nazario to stage the fight at the prestigious venue.
Other sites being considered are San Francisco and Los Angeles, where there are large Mexican and Filipino communities.
