Barrera wants rematch with Pacman

Marco Antonio Barrera, the Mexican legend whom Manny Pacquiao demolished via 11th round technical knockout at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas in 2003 to gain worldwide recognition, on Wednesday said he wants a rematch with the Filipino boxing icon this year.

In an interview with Boxingscene.com, Barrera, the WBC and IBF super featherweight champion, said he wants seven more fights before finally hanging up his gloves, including a highly anticipated return bout against his Filipino nemesis.

"Pacquiao is an exceptionally strong fighter who throws a lot of punches, and he’s very good. He’s demonstrated this by clobbering the best Mexicans there are. And I’m looking for a second fight with him, which I want this year," Barrera.

The Mexican champ, who claimed to have been distracted by a lot of things, including revelations about minor brain surgery and bush fires which prematurely swept him out of his Big Bear training camp in California, when he fought and lost to Pacquiao, said he will see to it that he will be well-prepared when he faces the Filipino champ for the second time.

"I’ll train 100 percent plus to show what I can do," said Barrera, currently in the thick of preparations for his upcoming bout with IBF lightweight champion Jesus Chavez on March 25.

However, Barrera, now fighting in the 135-lb category, didn’t say whether he’s willing to go back to the 130-lb division to fight Pacquiao.

"First, I’m concentrating on March 25. But after that I’ll calmly be contemplating a re-match against Pacquiao," said Barrera, whose loss to Pacquiao ranks and rankles as by far the most embarrassing of his four defeats.

Barrera also mentioned the names of Injin Chi and Scott Harrison and Jorge Barrios as the other fighters he would want to face before hanging up his gloves.

With his stirring 10th round knockout victory over Erik Morales last week, Pacquiao has established himself as the scourge of  Mexico’s elite in the little big men division. He had knocked down Juan Manuel Marquez thrice, decked Barrera once and floored Erik Morales twice.