WORLD Boxing Council and International Boxing Federation super featherweight champion Marco Antonio Barrera has confirmed earlier reports that he is planning to be at ringside when Filipino superstar Manny Pacquiao trades punches with Mexican warrior Oscar Larios on July 2.
In an interview with Boxingtalk’s Brad Cooney, which was made available to Filipino fans through Pacquiao’s de facto official website Mannypacquiao.ph, Barrera acknowledged that indeed there’s a plan to come to the Philippines and support Larios, whom he described as “a great friend.”
Asked how Larios would fare against Pacquiao, Barrera said that everybody in their team has a lot of confidence in Larios, and that the Mexican “will do very well.”
In the same interview, Barrera also confirmed an earlier Inquirer story which quoted Oscar De la Hoya as saying that Barrera is ready to meet Pacquiao in November.
De la Hoya was interviewed at a teleconference with Cebu mediamen last month straight from his training camp in Puerto Rico, where he has been training for his May 6 battle with Nicaragua’s Ricardo Mayorga.
Barrera said he is not looking past his May 20 assignment against Rocky Juarez at the Staples Center, and would be ready to discuss a fight with Pacquiao after that.
Pacquiao stopped Barrera in the 11th round of their featherweight bout in November 2003 in San Antonio, Texas.
