Supporters of Manny Pacquiao were heartened by the media statement of World Boxing Council president Jose Sulaiman that newly crowned WBC super featherweight champion Juan Miguel Marquez must first defend his title against the Pacman before staging a rematch with the vanquished Marco Antonio Barrera.
But when read carefully, Sulaiman isn’t really saying that the WBC will order Marquez to fight Pacquiao first before Barrera. At least not yet, although all of us are hoping that in the near future, it will indeed come to that. Sulaiman insists that WBC rules call for a mandatory defense. But although he is a persuasive voice in the Council, I do not know whether what he says necessarily always goes.
There are a few kinks in the way of an epic Pacquiao-Marquez battle. Both happen to be under contract for other fights at the moment. Depending on the outcome of these fights, the timing of their match will, I suppose, depend on a number of things, primarily their respective post-fight physical conditions.
Even Sulaiman says Manny will have to beat Jorge Solis first. Although this is supposed to be a “tune-up” fight for Manny, Solis considers it his one big chance to crash into the big-time. Solis is also the proud possessor of an undefeated record (32-0-2, with 23 knockouts) although the quality of his past opponents is suspect. Solis says he’s ready to “shock the world,” but the consensus of experts is that he should instead be prepared to be shocked by a typically relentless Pacman onslaught, usually at blinding speed.
But Manny knows that the super featherweight championship belt hangs in the balance with the Solis fight. That elusive belt can be his only if he makes short work of Solis and keeps hounding Marquez for this opportunity of a lifetime. The latest news is that all legal hurdles to the holding of his bout with Solis have, as fully expected, been cleared. A Las Vegas court has refused to grant Golden Boy Promotions an injunction to stop the fight.
I’ve already said in this space that Manny should rightfully be the champ. Despite all the obstacles the Mexican Mafia, those smarty-aleck boxing promoters, and their overpaid L.A. attorneys throw onto Manny’s path, they all know it’s just a matter of time, all things being equal, before our guy ascends the throne.
But things are rarely equal in the filthy field of international boxing. All those self-proclaimed “great” pugilists from across the border know they must meet Manny to be half-way credible, but their brave words notwithstanding, they are basically ducking him. The more they do this, the more rapidly they will turn into chickens.
On the other hand, Marquez, his handlers and lawyers are insisting that they must honor a contractual obligation to give Barrera a rematch this September. It is not likely that such a rematch, scheduled to coincide with Mexican Independence Day this September can be prevented, the WBC mandatory defense rules notwithstanding.
At some point, though, all delaying tactics of the overstaying pretenders will have run their course. It will be time to put or shut up. After Pacquiao demolishes Solis, and when Marquez shall have disposed of the fading Barrera, the excuses will run out. Early next year, barring the temptations of destructive politics or personal weakness, the WBC super featherweight champ will, at long last, be a Filipino. This destiny is Manny’s to grasp, if he would but reach for it.
