IF MANNY Pacquiao continues to dilly-dally on his next fight, Golden Boy Promotions will be compelled to stage an equally-thrilling match-up between Marco Antonio Barrera and Juan Manuel Marquez in March, Pacquiao?s American manager Shell Finkel revealed yesterday.
In an email to the Bulletin, Finkel said he conferred with GBP Chief Executive Officer Richard Schaefer and was told that “if Manny doesn?t decide soon, he (GBP) is going to make Barrera-Marquez for March 11 in Las Vegas.”
“This would be bad for Manny for he would lose one of his top two opponents,” said the New York-based Finkel, who was instrumental in helping the Filipino southpaw get rid of New Jersey promoter Murad Muhammad last year.
Finkel added that “HBO has confirmed they are holding this date for this fight.”
But legal problems are preventing Pacquiao from making a statement as to who, where and when his next fight will be.
Should Pacquiao stays with GBP, his next fight would be against Barrera.
Following his third round knockout victory over Erik Morales last Nov. 18, Top Rank big boss Bob Arum bared that his company and Pacquiao?s MP Promotions have forged a tie-up that would promote Pacquiao?s fights in the next four years.
Pacquiao was obviously caught by surprise by Arum?s announcement and he politely declined to comment on the development when asked by an American newsman.
GBP believes it owns promotional rights over Pacquiao since the fighter first signed with the Oscar De La Hoya-owned outfit.
Pacquiao inked a seven-fight pact with GBP last Sept. 19 upon his arrival in Los Angeles from Manila to prepare for the third Morales fight.
