By Rey Danseco
The bout is confirmed. Marco Antonio Barrera avoids fighting his mandated challenger Manny Pacquiao, for the moment.
Barrera opted to prevent a second clash with his latest tormentor Pacquiao and let go his chance to avenge the shameful 11th round technical knockout loss in their first match in November 2003 in San Antonio, Texas.
Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions announced on their official website that they will stage a bout between Barrera, now a three-time world champion, and Jesus “El Matador” Chavez in an all-Mexican championship for the latter’s IBF lightweight title on March 25 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
The 33-year old Chavez (43-3, 30 KOs) will make his first title defense in a card dubbed “The Ultimate Challenge”. He captured his second world title by knocking out erstwhile 135-pound champ Leavander Johnson on September 17 also at the MGM Grand.
Based on experienced, according to a high ranking officer of the Games and Amusement Board (GAB), the WBC quickly strips the world title belt from their champion if he signs to fight for a title of another world boxing governing body.
“Once the news reaches the WBC in Mexico, that Barrera has signed for an IBF championship bout, as soon as possible they will declare the title vacant,” said Antonio Comia, who is longtime GAB boxing division officer and member of the GAB ratings committee.
The country’s leading promoter, Gabriel “Bebot” Elorde Jr., who is loyal to WBC and familiar with its rules and regulations, concluded in an interview on Jan. 22 by this writer that Barrera will be stripped of the title when he chooses to fight under another boxing body.
If that will be the case, according to Comia and Elorde, the WBC’s Board of Governors where in GAB chairman Eric Buhain is one from around the world will call an immediate consultative meeting to formally decide on how to fill the vacant title.
“Most probably, the WBC will order elimination (fights) between fighters in the top 5 rankings. The survivors will collide for the WBC world championship,” said Comia.
It can be remembered that the WBC sanctioned the second Pacquiao-Morales epic battle as WBC super featherweight title eliminator in which the survivor will get the No. 1 ranking and the right for mandatory fight against Barrera.
Pacquiao hurt Morales from round 6, floored him down twice en route to a very impressive 10th round knockout win before 14,618 fans on HBO's pay-per-view event.
The hard-hitting Filipino native of General Santos City has gained a superstar status among most boxing fans and included in most pound-for-pound lists after dominating Barrera.
Barrera, who is also the champ at the 130-pound class under the IBF, reasoned as to why he avoids Pacquiao in a return bout, by stating that he is attempting to make boxing history. He wants to become the first Mexican born fighter to capture titles in four different divisions after he took the belts in bantamweight, featherweight and super featherweight.
Pacquiao has said that it will be difficult for him to fight at 135-pounds. Pacquiao only weighed 128 ½ for his rematch with Morales.
