LOS ANGELES — Before he gets into another big fight, Manny Pacquiao might have to do a tune-up fight sometime in May or June and yes, possibly in the Philippines.
Pacquiao’s trainer, Freddie Roach, said Tuesday that Home Box Office (HBO), which broadcasts big fights around the world, is interested in doing a fight in the Philippines.
Roach said Pacquiao needs to do another fight before he gets into a possible rematch with any of the Big Three–Marco Antonio Barrera, Juan Manuel Marquez or Erik Morales.
Barrera will defend his WBC super featherweight crown in March in Las Vegas while Marquez will defend his WBA featherweight crown also in March in Indonesia.
Morales, who was destroyed by Pacquiao in 10 rounds last Saturday, is still thinking things over whether he would fight Pacquiao a third time at 130 lbs.
Morales is also considering moving to the 135 lb lightweight class since he’s no longer comfortable at 130. Or, according to reports, he’s even thinking of retirement.
While it’s impossible to fight either Barrera or Marquez in the coming months, and Morales is in deep thought, Roach said Pacquiao might need to take on a lesser opponent.
The Filipino boxing superstar said the other day he is ready to take on any of the Big Three as long as it’s at 130 lbs. Marquez is now fighting at 126 but has strong plans of moving up.
But Roach said Tuesday at the Wild Card Gym in Hollywood that they might consider giving Morales a rematch at a catch weight of 133 lbs.
Pacquiao did not say whether he’s interested to fight Morales at 133 but his local trainer and childhood friend Buboy Fernandez was not excited with the idea.
Fernandez whispered a little something to Pacquiao but hinted that fighting Morales at 133 could be like falling into a trap, and give the Mexican a good chance to get back at Pacquiao.
Morales drained himself to make the 130 lb limit for last Saturday’s fight and therefore was not in his top shape when he climbed the ring at 140 lbs the next day.
Pacquiao was at 128 1/2 during the official weigh-in but also climbed the ring at the Thomas and Mack Center at 140 lbs.
Morales will have an easier time reducing to 133 lbs and will definitely be in better shape on the ring if ever Pacquiao agrees to this weight limit.
For the tune-up match, Pacquiao might face a boxer in the caliber of Fahsan 3-K Battery whom the RP icon knocked out in Taguig, Rizal in December, 2004.
