MAB declines Pacquiao rematch...

Barrera declines Pacquiao rematch THE specter of his manhandling at the hands of Manny Pacquiao continues to haunt Mexican ring idol Marco Antonio Barrera. Moments after masterfully wresting the two super featherweight titles from archrival Erik Morales via a majority decision on Sunday, Barrera declined an offer for a return bout with the Filipino champion, according to American promoter Murad Muhammad. In an interview by overseas phone call on Tuesday, Murad said Barrera’s camp was unwilling to face Pacquiao in a February rematch “because there were too many distractions before the fight” with the Filipino champion. “His handlers also told me that his head was not right and he had a bad night ,” said Murad, adding that the Mexican’s camp proposed that “PacMan” take on World Boxing Council junior featherweight champion Oscar Larios instead. “By then, they would consider a rematch sometime in September.” Judging by the tenor of the Barrera camp, Murad said, “Barrera is still afraid of Pacquiao,” recalling the whipping that the Mexican received from the Filipino fighter when they clashed on November 15, 2003, at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. He said that “there was no sense in fighting Larios in a bout for a smaller purse and one that wouldn’t do anything to advance Manny’s career. Even HBO won’t agree. That’s crazy.” Although he won convincingly over his archrival Morales in their rubber match, Murad noted that Barrera never even mentioned the name of Pacquiao as a possible foe, unlike great fighters like Muhammad Ali and Oscar dela Hoya, who usually publicly announced who they wanted to fight next. “We’d be happy to give Barrera a chance to redeem himself but obviously he doesn’t want it,” Murad said. American trainer Freddie Roach also said Barrera was “now the man” to take on Pacquiao in a rematch in February, saying Juan Manuel Marquez could wait. HBO has signed up “Pacman” and Marquez to a rematch on February 26, with each splitting the $1.8-million purse. Roach is in Davao City with Pacquiao, gearing the Filipino boxer for his tuneup match on December 11 against Fahsan 3K Battery at the Fort Bonifacio Global City in Taguig. Murad said if Barrera is willing, his ward could postpone his fight against Marquez, which would be a way at getting back at fellow promoter Bob Arum, who scuttled a potential Pacquiao-Morales fight by pushing for Morales-Barrera III. “We can do the same thing,” said Murad of Arum, who also has Marquez under his wing. But if Barrera won’t budge, the American promoter said Pacquiao will take on Marquez as planned in February while he would begin talks with the handlers of Morales for a fight sometime in July, then Barrera in September. “Morales didn’t lose his integrity in the ring,” he said of the gallant stand of the dethroned champion. On the other hand, Roach said Pacquiao is “the greatest featherweight in the world and Filipinos should be proud of him.” “Manny is the most exciting fighter in America right now and his fight against Fahsan 3K Battery, a tough guy from Thailand will be a stepping stone to beating Marquez, Barrera, Morales and all the other fighters out there,” Roach said. “Without a doubt Pacquiao is the best featherweight in the world and perhaps even the best junior lightweight. He is exciting and fun to watch and that is what people love and want to seem,” he added. Pacquiao plans on sparring ten rounds Wednesday with national lightweight champion Fernando Montilla and junior welterweight Chris Saluday and 12 rounds Wednesday. Both boxer and trainer are flying to Manila late Thursday for a Friday courtesy call on top officials of the sponsors Smart, Talk N’ Text and PLDT, who made the Fahsan fight possible along with Solar Sports and Mayor Freddie Tinga of Taguig, the host city for the fight. On Saturday, Pacquiao will work out at the Wild Card Gym in BF Homes, Paranaque according to Filipino trainer Buboy Fernandez. http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2004/dec/01/yehey/sports/20041201spo1.html