Despite the demands of boxing fans, especially his Mexican supporters who consider him a hero, legendary featherweight Marco Antonio Barrera, it seems, is ?afraid of Manny Pacquiao? and doesn?t want a rematch this February, according to international promoter Murad Muhammad.
Muhammad contacted the Barrera camp after he had scored a close, but classic victory over Erik ?El Terrible? Morales last Sunday in Las Vegas in what was described as ?a fight for the ages.?
But they appeared unwilling to accept a rematch, even as Barrera himself continued to cry that there were too many distractions before the fight and his head was not right and he had a bad night when he was annihilated by Pacquiao in November last year.
In an overseas telephone conversation with Viva Sports/Manila Standard, Muhammad said the Barrera people instead suggested that Pacquiao take on World Boxing Council junior featherweight champion Oscar Larios, after which they would consider a much-awaited rematch in September.
Muhammad replied there was no sense in fighting Larios in a bout for a smaller purse and one that wouldn?t do anything to advance the career of Manny (Pacquiao.)
?Even HBO won?t agree. That?s crazy,? said Muhammad, who added he was convinced Barrera was scared of getting another beating from Pacquiao, who crushed him in their first showdown on Nov. 15, 2003 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas where Barrera?s corner threw in the towel in Round 11.
Muhammad noted that after beating Morales in an excellent fight, Barrera never called out Pacquiao?s name, which is what most fighters like Muhammad Ali, Roy Jones Jr. and even Oscar de la Hoya always did.
?He made excuses about his head not being right and the distractions prior to the Pacquiao fight but he had a chance and didn?t publicly indicate he wanted a rematch.?
Muhammad said: ?We?d be happy to give Barrera a chance to redeem himself but obviously he doesn?t want it.?
Trainer Freddie Roach had also challenged Barrera, who was ?now the man? to take on Pacquiao in a rematch in February saying Juan Manuel Marquez, who has been lined up to fight Pacquiao in a Feb. 26 rematch, ?can wait? and later take on the winner of Pacquiao-Barrera II.
Muhammad said that if Barrera agreed, they could postpone the Marquez fight because Top Rank?s Bob Arum, who handles Marquez, had put off the promised Pacquiao-Morales fight in order to push through with Morales-Barrera III.
