DON?T DESPAIR Manny Pacquiao fans.
Despite being left out in the cold, the handlers of the world?s premier featherweight are optimistic that Pacquiao will be able to showcase his wares before the year comes to a close.
As to who he is going to fight remains a mystery although it has been reported that another Mexican, Oscar Larios, the reigning World Boxing Council (WBC) super-bantamweight champion, is willing to go up in weight to face Pacquiao.
Pacquiao?s promotional and managerial teams were stunned when Bob Arum of Top Rank announced that on November 27, Erik Morales and Marco Antonio Barrera are going to fight for the third time probably at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Pacquiao?s promoter, Murad Muhammad, had earlier assured Pacquiao?s boss, Rod Nazario, that he and Arum had already agreed in principle that Morales would fight Pacquiao on November 6.
The word principle, however, is an alien term in the dictionary of boxing terms.
Now that Pacquiao is out of the picture, Nazario is looking at other possibilities.
“I am going to confer with Murad about our next move. But one thing is definite, I will make sure Manny gets to fight before the year ends. If he doesn?t fight this year, he would become rusty and I don?t want that to happen,” said Nazario.
With the big-names of the lighter weight categories booked for the rest of the year, Team Pacquiao is looking at World Boxing Council champion Injin Chi of Korea, World Boxing Organization titlist Scott Harrison of Scotland, WBC 122-lb ruler Larios and even Chris John, the Indonesian holder of the World Boxing Association feather jewels.
Only Harrison has a fight scheduled sometime in October in Glasgow against TBA (To Be Announced).
Despite the setback, Pacquiao and Nazario are still proceeding with their trip to the States on September 8, a proof that the power-hitting GenSan lefty is on track for a fight in November in Manila or elsewhere.
Informed about the announcement that he had been booted out, Pacquiao just smiled and said: “Iniiwasan talaga nila ako.”
Pacquiao?s camp first wanted to secure a rematch with Juan Manuel Marquez, the sweet-punching Mexican who Pacquiao decked three times on May 8 but was able to go 12 rounds. Then, after Barrera won his comeback fight against Paulie Ayala, he called out Pacquiao?s name to which Pacquiao said “let?s go.”
After negotiations for a second fight with Barrera bogged down, Pacquiao shouted Morales name and, for a moment, it appeared they were on course for a square-off.
Members of the website mannypacquiao.ph assailed Top Rank?s announcement of Barrera-Morales III as they all agreed that Morales, Barrera and Marquez are all afraid to get their facial features re-arranged by Pacquiao.
