Marquez handler shelves Pacquiao rematch

OS ANGELES — Manny Pacquiao may have to wait a little longer if he hopes to meet IBF/WBA champion Juan Manuel Marquez in a highly-anticipated grudge match as promoter Bob Arum virtually shut the door on the proposed September battle, saying that Marquez will face a fellow Mexican in his next fight.

Instead, Pacquiao could probably get a megabuck payday with a possible rematch with another Mexican legend whom he demolished last year that put him on the global boxing stage — Marco Antonio Barrera.

With three more days left before Barrera’s much-awaited return to the ring in a 12-round non-title encounter with dangerous Paulie Ayala of Texas on Saturday at the Home Depot Center in the city of Carson here, Pacquiao could finally get a specific answer as to whom will he face next, according Los Angeles-based boxing writer Winneleo Campos.

A victory by Barrera over Ayala opens the door for a Pacquiao-Barrera rematch as Marquez, still nursing injuries he sustained in his match with Pacquiao which ended in a controversial split draw decision last May, has opted for a lighter opponent in unknown Orlando Salido of Mexico.

According to Arum, the Marquez-Salido fight has been penciled as an appetizer to the pay-per-view showdown between Oscar De La Hoya and Bernard Hopkins on Sept. 18 in Las Vegas.

Marquez’s bout against Salido was supposed to be his mandatory defense to his IBF featherweight title. But according to www.fightnews.com, Salido is now the No. 4 contender, with Pacquiao installed as No. 3 and the No. 1 and No. 2 spots vacant in the IBF rankings.

The 23-year-old Salido, who has not fought a 12-round bout in his career, has a 20-8-1 win-loss-draw record (13 KOs). He is ranked No. 8 by the WBO and No. 10 in the WBA. He, however, has strung up nine straight wins against virtual unknowns.

"I will answer that question on June 19 after the fight," said Barrera Wednesday at the pre-fight press conference in a downtown Los Angeles hotel, commenting if he wished to fight Pacquiao next.

Both men, who wore fighting red t-shirts, showed mutual respect for each other and never showed animosity to hype up their scheduled fight. They did fighting poses but shook hands more often.

Later, in a separate interview with right hand man Roberto Diaz, Barrera said that he is a "stubborn Mexican who may have to learn his lesson a second time around," verbally signing a death wish to fight Pacquiao soon, the man who has dominated him in 11 brutal rounds last Nov. 15 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.

Barrera and his team, which included manager Rudy Perez and Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaeffer, who represented De La Hoya, said they are not looking past Ayala, who has a 35-2 record.

Ayala won against unknown Edel Ruiz by unanimous decision in 10 rounds last November.