When he was through, and before he tucked himself in, Manny Pacquiao declared his readiness to fight anyone who would dare challenge him as a 130-pounder.
"Line them up," said Pacquiao.
The slugger from Gen. Santos City said he’s ready for a rematch with any of the three great Mexican fighters he has faced in the last two years.
Pacquiao’s latest victim, Erik Morales, is now unsure whether he wants a third and deciding match against the Filipino in the super featherweight division.
Morales had so much trouble making the 130 lb limit for last Saturday’s fight, and it became evident when he was slowed down miserably by Pacquiao’s powerful shots to the body.
Morales got knocked out in the 10th round. Even before the fight, he expressed his intentions to climb a division higher, the lightweight at 135 lbs, before the end of the year.
Pacquiao said he’s open to a rematch with Morales if it’s at 130 lbs, but never at 135 lbs.
"I’m too small for that," he said.
Marco Antonio Barrera, the reigning World Boxing Council champion at 130 lbs, could be the next best choice for Pacquiao.
The Filipino with probably the most powerful punch in his weight class defeated Barrera in 2003. The Mexican was knocked out in the 11th round.
A Pacquiao-Barrera fight could be just as exciting as the Pacquiao-Morales in that Pacquiao will finally get a crack at the WBC crown.
Another Mexican who could stand in the way of Pacquiao is Juan Manuel Marquez, the reigning World Boxing Association champion at 126 lbs, the featherweight class.
Pacquiao and Marquez clashed in May of 2004 but the fight ended in a controversial draw despite the fact that the Mexican was knocked down three times in the first round.
Marquez had shown intentions of going up at 130 lbs, and be there with Barrera and Pacquiao. And hopefully, Morales, too.
"Basta kahit sino sa kanila. Basta 130 pounds," Pacquiao said.