Pacquiao-Barrera Part 2 down the drain?

Forget Manny Pacquiao-Marco Antonio Barrera II.

In what could be a big blow to Pacquiao’s bid to regain his standing on the world boxing stage following a controversial split draw with Juan Manuel Marquez, Barrera decided to dump the Filipino champion and instead seek a third and final confrontation with arch-rival Erik Morales.

"Barrera will fight on Nov. 27 but it will not be against Pacquiao," said Marylyn Aceves, public relations chief for Golden Boy Promotions, which handles Barrera. "We have decided to go after Morales first because of his decision to fight in the 135-pound division. Marco feels it is more important to go after Morales at 130."

Aceves, however, added that a rematch between Pacquiao could still be worked out for next year and that the former featherweight king has no plans of leaving the featherweight division.

Eyeing separate fight dates in November, the respective promoters of Barrera, Pacquiao and Morales have been burning communication lines and dangling proposals for a final contract signing even as talks of a Pacquiao-Barrera II have bogged down anew.

Barrera, 30, wants to fight Morales to finally settle a 1-1 count, the former winning their last battle. Morales, who has recently won the IBF and WBC super featherweight belts, has been mulling to go up in weight and issue a challenge against the top guns of the lightweight division.

He, however, expressed interest in taking on Barrera or Pacquiao before finally facing the likes of Diego Corrales or Joel Casamayor.

That has prompted the Barrera and Pacquiao’s promoters to arrange a deal for Morales’ last possible fight as champion of the 130-lb division.

Meanwhile, Top Rank Inc. publicist Ricardo Jimenez has denied reports of a possible Pacquiao-Morales showdown on Nov. 6, saying he had no knowledge of such an agreement or communication between his boss, Bob Arum, and Pacquiao’s New Jersey-based promoter Murad Muhammad.

"Mr. Arum is busy touring the nation, promoting the fight between Oscar De La Hoya and Bernard Hopkins," said Jimenez.

Muhammad could not be reached for comment. He, however, said in earlier interviews that seeking a fight with Morales is one of his ultimate goals.

Moreover, Muhammad and Arum have explored the possibility of pitting Pacquiao and Morales as early as February this year.