By Rey Danseco
Manny Pacquiao insisted his desire to continue fighting in the super featherweight division after he safely returned home from the successful unanimous decision over a frightened Marco Antonio Barrera at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.
A throng of fans and supporters, headed by a former Mayor, welcomed Pacquiao when he arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport here in Manila in the Philippines before dawn and attended a press conference and two courtesy calls.
Pacquiao refused to make a motorcade parade for the first time in Manila when he opted to be with former Manila Mayor and Secretary Lito Atienza of Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
"I am elated that all Filipinos become united whenever I fight in the ring," Pacquiao said in Filipino. "I hope that this this moment of unity will continue."
Atienza sent Pacquiao to Malacanang where they met President Gloria Arroyo, who presented the 28-year old fighter with specially designed cake.
The banana roti cake was layered with fondant, topped with figurines representing different Filipino professions such as nurses, priests, soldiers, doctors and chefs surrounding Pacquiao.
"Ay, may cake na naman (Oh, I have a cake again)?" said Pacquiao.
With the win, Pacquiao will pursue his goal of winning his third title in as many weight classes.
Pacquiao said that he finds WBA super featheatherweight champion Edwin “Dinamita” Valero to be a formidable foe, but he is more than capable of beating him.
"For that reason I might stay in the 130 pound division, so he (Valero) can try to prove that he can beat me," Pacquiao said.
Pacquiao said, a rematch with WBC super featherweight champ Juan Manuel Marquez remains a possibility, but purse is the main issue before it materializes.
"If he agrees to negotiate then there will be no problem," Pacquiao said. “The problem with the challengers like Marquez is they’re too hungry for the purse money. He wants more than what I would get. So even if I want to take him on, it will depend on the negotiations.”
The 5-foot-7 Valero, who also wants to fight Pacquiao, is only 25-year-olds. He’s unbeaten with all 22 of his victories coming by knockouts, 19 of those stoppages were done in the first round.
Bob Arum earlier said Pacquiao might make three fights next year in March, July and November.
When asked why he failed to stopped Barrera, Pacquiao said the “Baby Faced Assassin” wanted to survive the fight and not actually win it.
“I wanted an all-out fight. But I did not expect that Barrera would be running instead of boxing. It seems that all Barrera and his handlers had planned was for him to duck and run for all twelve rounds,” Pacquiao said.
Pacquiao donated 100,000 pesos in cash to the Philippine Eagle Foundation, a non-government organization that works closely with the DENR in protection of the endangered species bird.
“From now on, the Philippine Eagle is my new symbol. Starting today, I will work in partnership with the DENR for the protection of the rare eagle and in other environmental problems. I will go to different places that need to be saved from degradation, where trees need to be planted, where illegal logging has to stop,” Pacquaio said.
