Why would somebody like L. Merchant consider Pacquiao as his No. 1 featherweight?

[whdempsey]

Manny won the fight with Barrera in devastating fashion. Barrera had been the best featherweight. Manny immediately took on and, if not for wild incompetence on the part of a judge, would have beat the highest ranked contender in Juan Manuel Marquez. It's pretty simple, actually.