Win or lose in a rematch against Erik Morales, Manny Pacquiao is looking toward a rematch with Marco Antonio Barrera this year.
“I will fight him (Barrera) anytime,” Pacquiao told popular American boxing reporter Brad Cooney of Boxingtalk.com.
Pacquiao has earned superstardom after he gave Barrera a boxing lesson, forcing the cornerman of the great Mexican warrior to throw in the towel in the 11th round of their clash in November 2003 in San Antonio, Texas.
Meanwhile, “PacMan” does not believe he will falter anew against Morales on January 21 at Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas.
He said his goal for 2006 is to beat Morales and “make [the Filipino] people happy” in their scheduled 12-round rumble.
“All of my countrymen are hoping that I win this fight. If I beat Morales, it will be a great honor for me to go back to the Philippines with the victory, “said Pacquiao. “I want this very much for my country, it will be good for my country and my fans.”
Pacquiao is gaining confidence with 20 days to go before he and Morales step into the ring again. American trainer Freddie Roach has trained him to become more aggressive and will be looking to make Morales, who has a longer reach than the Filipino, step back.
“I will do my best, and I promise I will give this guy a fight, and I have to win this fight,” said Pacquiao, who enjoys a closed training venue at the Wild Card Gym in Hollywood compared to when he fought Morales in March.
The 27-year-old expects Morales to become more aggressive too, as the Mexican ring idol wants to rebound from a stunning defeat to Olympian Zahir Raheem in September.
“I expect that when he fights me he will be the real Erik Morales. He is training very hard. I do not think I will get the same Morales that lost to Zahir,” said Pacquiao, a 7-5 favorite to win the fight officially declared by the World Boxing Council as the super featherweight title eliminator—with the winner fighting Barrera.
