Pacquiao-Barrera return bout mulled

LOS ANGELES — Promoter Murad Muhammad of M&M Sports and Richard Schaeffer of Golden Boy Promotions will start initial talks this week to explore the possibilities of staging a grand rematch between Filipino champion Manny Pacquiao and the legendary Marco Antonio Barrera of Mexico soon.

Muhammad, who is based in New Jersey, plans to call up Schaeffer, CEO of Oscar De La Hoya’s promotional outfit Golden Boy Promotions based in California Tuesday (Wednesday in Manila) or Wednesday to discuss and probably set a timetable for the keenly-awaited return bout between two great fighters.

Pacquiao demolished Barrera in 11 rounds last November in San Antonio, Texas. Since then, both men have fought separate bouts with Barrera winning by knockout over two-time world champion Paulie Ayala only last weekend.

The 25-year-old Pacquiao settled for a controversial split draw with IBF/WBA champion Juan Manuel Marquez last May 8 in Las Vegas, Nevada. A separate rematch is being mulled although it would only be staged next year since Marquez is set to have a mandatory defense of the IBF crown against Orlando Salido in September.

"Manny Pacquiao, Rod Nazario and I, we have all concurred that Marco Antonio Barrera deserves a rematch," said Muhammad in a telephone interview with Winnileo Campos of mannypacquiao.ph.

Muhammad said that a rematch with Barrera is important in order to prove to everyone that Pacquiao clearly won the fight, minus the pre-fight distractions claimed by some Barrera insiders that led, one way or the other, to the fourth loss by Barrera in 62 fights.