IF he insists on pushing through with his schedule despite the sudden turn of events, Filipino ring star Manny Pacquiao will leave for the United States on September 8 to start training with American tactician Freddie Roach at the Wildcard Gym in Hollywood for nothing.
This as the prospect of setting up a megabuck duel between Pacquiao and WBC/IBF super featherweight champion Erik Morales of Mexico flickered after Top Rank Inc. confirmed that an agreement has already been made for a Morales-Marco Antonio Barrera III in an HBO pay-per-view card on November 27.
?Yes, we have an agreement for Erik Morales and Marco Antonio Barrera to fight on HBO PPV November 27!,? Top Rank vice president Todd DuBoef told Gregory Leon of Boxingtalk.com.Top Rank Inc. handles Morales.
The venue has yet to be determined, but the classic showdown between two great and decorated fighters will likely take place either in Las Vegas or California.
Morales edged Barrera on a controversial split decision in their explosive junior featherweight unification bout four years ago. Barrera avenged the loss with a similarly controversial unanimous verdict in their 2002 rematch for the featherweight supremacy of the world.
Dan Rafael of USA Today, in a separate report, revealed that Top Rank big boss Bob Arum, Morales, manager Fernando Beltran, HBO and Richard Schaefer all want the fight although there are still some kinks that need to be ironed out for the deal to be sealed.
Barrera is reportedly balking at the financial split. Arum originally offered a 60-40 split in favor of Morales, but has come down to 57-43. Barrera wants parity as far as the purse sharing is concerned.
?It?s up to Barrera,? Arum said. ?Richard and I have no argument. It?s Barrera. The real issue is does he want to fight Morales??
There is still a glimmer of hope though for Pacquiao because Arum said that if Barrera refuses to get the fight done, then it?s obvious that Morales is going to face Pacquiao in another dream fight initially set to take place on November 6.
?I?ve been talking to (Pacquiao promoter) Murad Muhammad about Morales and Pacquiao, and if I don?t get a Barrera fight done, that?s who we will fight,? Arum said. ?The HBO guys feel Pacquiao is a bigger fight than Joel Casamayor.?
When sought for comment, American promoter Murad Muhammad of the New Jersey-based M & M Sports who takes charge of Pacquiao?s business affairs in the US said he felt that none of the two Mexican greats are in a rush to lock up horns with the Filipino destroyer.
?Barrera may have had nowhere else to go and been forced back to the table. But it?s evident that none of the top Mexican fighters are in a rush to fight Manny Pacquiao. Since his last fight we?ve reached out to Juan Manuel Marquez, Marco Antonio Barrera for rematches and Erik Morales. None of them want to fight him,? said Muhammad.
Muhammad said that with the way things are going on, it is time for them to go back to drawing board and discuss what?s up next for the people?s featherweight champion.
Pacquiao was actually booked to fight Morales last July 31, but plans fizzled out after the General Santos City-native conqueror of Barrera fought to a controversial split draw against Marquez in a ?Fight of the Year? prospect last May 8 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
There had been talks with regards to a possible rematch between Barrera and Pacquiao, but the Mexican dumped his Filipino tormentor in favor of a third bout with Morales.
?Pacquiao?s manager Rod Nazario and I will have to go back to the drawing board and get the next best thing,? said Muhammad, who announced just the other day that a Morales-Pacquiao deal was already done in principle based on his talks with Arum.
?I?m not the type of person who gives my word on something and pulls out because there?s a little more money somewhere else,? added Muhammad.
