LOS ANGELES-Aside from the boos and the catcalls which marred Saturday’s other championship match, People’s Champion Manny Pacquiao said he wasn’t impressed at how Juan Manuel Marquez retained his titles at the expense of untested mandatory challenger Orlando Salido.
Pacquiao, who was among the many VIPs at ringside who watched the great middleweight bout of this decade-Bernard Hopkins’ dismantling of Oscar De La Hoya at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas-became part of the Marquez-Salido lackluster fight with ringside commentators bringing up his name more than a dozen times.
Pacquiao was stuck in traffic at the Las Vegas strip and was only able to enter the jam-packed MGM arena after the sixth round.
While a February rematch still has to be finalized, Pacquiao is raring to prove in a rematch that he won that controversial draw last May against Marquez.
“Marquez wasn’t impressive. If Marquez fought like that (against Salido), he’s gonna go down again against me,” said Pacquiao, who knocked Marquez down three times in the first round but failed to finish off his Mexican opponent.
“I hope Juan Manuel doesn’t have any excuses this time and agrees to fight me so we could settle our score, once and for all,” said Pacquiao.
Marquez scored a unanimous decision victory over Salido, the taco-endorsing fighter who has not fought a 12-rounder in his lifetime. The boos came coming from the crowd as both fighters did not produce enough excitement, as Marquez’s counter-punching style was ranged against a fighter who did not want to mix it up.
Pacquiao, who arrived in Las Vegas Friday, was easily recognized by most fight fans-Black, White, Latino and Asian-and many have asked for his autograph and even posed for photo souvenirs.
Marco Antonio Barrera’s right-hand man, Roberto Diaz and Barrera’s brother Jorge also met up with Pacquiao and talked to him about a possible rematch soon.
Barrera, on Saturday, announced his fight against Erik Morales on Nov. 27. Pacquiao wished Barrera’s handlers luck and hoped that the erstwhile People’s Champion could emerge victorious.
Pacquiao’s handlers, who are busy shopping for a new opponent, are expected to announce something concrete on Monday.
Boredom and homesickness has crept in on Pacquiao’s training camp as the 25-year-old southpaw, considered as the best in the featherweight division, hasn’t had any inkling on who he will face next.
Pacquiao has even asked that his wife and kids be flown immediately to Los Angeles from the Philippines even as sparring sessions are scheduled in the middle of this coming week.
