Concerned over featherweight People?s Champion Manny Pacquiao being left out of the picture after what appeared to be a doublecross by Top Rank Inc. president Bob Arum, who reneged on a commitment to have World Boxing Council super featherweight champion Erik Morales defend his title against the flamboyant Filipino southpaw on Nov. 6, Jorge ?Nene? Araneta, owner of the famed Araneta Coliseum, is making an effort to help out Pacquiao by staging a fight at the Big Dome.
Araneta, whose father, the late Amado Araneta, had a stable of top fighters at a time when regular fight cards drew 20,000 fans to the coliseum, spoke to Pacquiao?s business manager Rod Nazario about the possibilities of a fight in Manila in mid-November. They are scheduled to meet on Thursday.
Pacquiao, meantime, is scheduled to leave for Los Angeles on Sept. 8 to train under the watchful eye of Freddie Roach at his Wild Card Gym for about two months along with younger brother and Philippine super featherweight champion Bobby and top-rated flyweight Z ?The Dream? Gorres.
The fighter being considered as a possible opponent is Indonesia?s World Boxing Association featherweight champion Chris John, the undefeated 24 year old who stands 5-foot-7 and has a record of 34-0 with 19 knockouts including impressive victories over Dante Paulino, Baby Lorona Jr. and Philippine champion Fernando Montilla.
John won the WBA interim title when champion Derrick Gainer was unable to defend because of injury with a split decision over Oscar Leon on Sept. 26, 2003. John then scored a lopsided 12-round decision over Japan?s Osamu Sato to win the title on June 24. Juan Manuel Marquez is the WBA super champion and International Boxing Federation featherweight champion. He held Pacquiao to a controversial draw when one of the judges made a mistake and didn?t score the first round for Pacquiao, 10-6, despite his decking Marquez three times and has since declined offers of a rematch, at least for the time being.
