BARRERA HAS MOTIVE IN ADVISING PACQUIAO NOT TO FIGHT SOTO
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 17 Jul 2008
Mexican legend Marco Antonio Barrera has a motive in advising Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao not to go ahead with a planned WBC lightweight title defense against Humberto Soto on November 15 in Las Vegas.
In an overseas telephone conversation with Viva Sports/Manila Standard Today, Arum stated ?the reason Barrera said that Manny should do nothing except wait for (Ricky) Hatton is because he?s back-biting and wants to fight one of these guys (Soto or Edwin Valero.)?
In fact boxrec.com had earlier posted a scheduled fight between Barrera and Soto in September but subsequently substituted it with the Pacquiao-Soto fight at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas after Arum announced plans for the November 15 lightweight title fight.
Arum also showed his displeasure over the comments and advice of so-called Pacquiao insiders telling him not to fight Soto and instead to ask Arum to get Hatton by paying a step-aside fee to Paulie Malignaggi who is scheduled to fight Britain ?s ?Hitman? in November.
Arum made it clear that ?only Manny and I make the decision along with Freddie (Roach)? the celebrated trainer.
He said ?these people are crazy. Its totally and completely absurd? talking about paying a step-aside fee for a Hatton fight this year because contracts have been signed, a venue is booked (MGM Grand) and there is a site deal.
Arum said a step-aside fee would probably run into millions of dollars because the MGM Grand will also have to be paid a step-aside fee.
However, Arum indicated he ?won?t have any news until Manny arrives in the U.S so I can discuss the situation.? He said Pacquiao is scheduled to arrive in Las Vegas on July 24 in time for the blockbuster title fight between Miguel Cotto and Antonio Margarito.
Pacquiao himself has told ABS-CBN news that he would like to fight Soto to avenge the defeat of his younger brother Bobby Pacquiao who suffered a bad beating at the hands of Soto and was knocked out in the seventh round on June 9, 2007 with Manny himself watching at ringside in Madison Square Garden, New York.
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