BEVERLY HILLS, CA -- Top Rank CEO Bob Arum, who manages the boxing career of Manny Pacquiao; and Golden Boy Promotions President, Oscar dela Hoya, manager for Marc Antonio Barrera, led their respective camps at the Beverly Hills Hotel here, where the press conference was held Friday morning, August 10, to announce the rematch of two famous fighters to be held October 6 at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.
In this forthcoming fight, Pacquiao will defend his Super Featherweight title against Barrera, who lost to "Pacman" in November 2003 in San Antonio, Texas.
Superstars Pacquiao and Barrera will collide in a 12-round super featherweight title fight. It will be broadcast live on HBO Pay-Per-View.
Tickets are priced at $600, $400, $300, $200 and $100, which can be purchased at the Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino box office and all Las Vegas Ticketmaster locations (Smith's Food and Drug Centers, Macy's stores and Ritmo Latino).
The Pacquiao-Barrera fight, dubbed "Will to Win," is a battle between legendary three-division champions. Pacquiao (44-3-2, 35 KOs) of General Santos City, Philippines, defeated Barrera (63-5, 42 KOs) of Mexico City, Mexico, in their first exciting encounter in 2003, claiming the 'Baby Face Assasin's' featherweight title.
"Pacquiao is considered by many as boxing's pound for pound most exciting fighter of the world," as announced by Bob Arum during the press conference.
"Fighting Barrera is a career highlight for me," said Pacquiao. He added: "He has already beaten great world champions like Erik Morales, Naseem Hamed and Johnny Tapia and I know I am going to have to train harder that I ever have been before to beat him. But I am fully prepared to sacrifice and do everything necessary to beat him. And I will. It's going to be another great night for fight fans, especially for the Filipinos all over the world."
'Pacman' left Los Angeles for Cebu and immediately began practising at the Wacky Salud gym. Trainor Freddie Roach would follow soon. Hundreds of fans syrrounded the gym while Manny was doing the routine boxing practice, including shadow boxing.
( By Johnny Pecayo: Editor & CEO, Manila U.S.Time)