A POSSIBLE Manny Pacquiao-Marco Antonio Barrera rematch looms bigger by the day as other alternative match-ups have either yet to be firmed up or are not altogether possible.
The other day, Japan’s Akihiko Honda revealed that his fighter, the undefeated World Boxing Association (WBA) super featherweight champion Edwin Valero, is not yet ready to face Pacquiao in 2007, effectively putting to rest speculations that Pacquiao may face Valero in Macau this March.
Yesterday, the camp of Juan Manuel Marquez announced that a fight with Barrera has not yet been discussed, giving rise to the possibility that, indeed, the Filipino icon might face Barrera next.
Ignacio ‘Nacho’ Beristain, who trains and manages Marquez, told Boxingconfidential that Golden Boy Promotions, which promotes both Barrera and Marquez, has yet to call him about a possible showdown between the two warriors.
“We have not yet been contacted by Golden Boy Promotions about a fight with Marco Antonio Barrera. It is a fight we welcome, but we have not heard a thing,” Beristain said. “We take it all as speculation,” the trainer added.
Barrera versus Marquez is the alternative fight being put on the table should a Pacquiao-Barrera bout does not materialize.
The Filipino ring icon is currently embroiled in a legal tussle between Oscar De la Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions and Top Rank’s Bob Arum after the pound-for-pound superstar signed both contracts presented to him by the two warring promotions.
However, renowned trainer Freddie Roach, who commands an enormous respect from Pacquiao, has indicated that Golden Boy presents the best opportunity for Pacquiao, and a Barrera fight is the biggest available for the Filipino southpaw.
Meanwhile, Beristain also revealed in the same interview that should an opportunity presents for him to train Oscar De La Hoya for the May 5 bout with Floyd Mayweather, he would not hesitate to do the job, “not for the money, but for the honor of working with a fighter of Oscar’s caliber.”
Roach, who is also in the running as De La Hoya’s next trainer, could not be reached for comment as he is currently in Gen. Santos City.
