LAS VEGAS—While a clause in the contract that Manny Pacquiao and his handlers signed stipulated a third fight in the event the Filipino puncher wins the second bout, it is uncertain whether a rubber match would be staged considering the terrible beating that Erik “El Terrible” Morales absorbed Saturday night at the Thomas and Mack Center.
Promoter Bob Arum had disclosed earlier in the week that a third fight will be held in May or June should Pacquiao make it 1-1 as Arum felt that a rubber match will have to be done to complete a trilogy.
Morales had defeat-ed Pacquiao in March last year on points, but the Filipino responded so well in the rematch that Arum is not even sure if the 29-year-old Tijuana native will agree to fight or even attempt a comeback.
“I have to consult with Erik first before announcing if there’s going to be a third fight,” said Arum, looking forlorn, during the post-fight press conference at the Cox Pavilion inside the sprawling UNLV campus.
Now that Morales seems to be out of the picture, the name that stands out from the among the short list of candidates is Marco Antonio Barrera, who, a couple of weeks ago, declared that he would like to face the winner of the Pacquiao-Morales scuffle.
Pacquiao had demolished Barrera when they met in Nov. 2003 in San Antonio, Texas, and is 2-1 against Morales, who he outpointed the third time they slugged it out in late-2004.
Barrera had complained that he was not mentally in shape when he faced Pacquiao and has vowed to erase the stigma of that setback with a victory in a rematch.
Another candidate is Juan Manuel Marquez, the Mexican featherweight who Pacquiao battled to a 12-round split draw in May 2004.
