WHILE a rematch with Marco Antonio Barrera may be a good sell, it is not the best fight for Manny Pacquiao at this moment, says the Filipino’s famed trainer.

Barrera, who badly lost his first meeting with Pacquiao, recently informed World Boxing Council (WBC) president Jose Sulaiman he wants to fight Pacquiao and put his WBC super-featherweight title on the line.

With Pacquiao booked at least until September, Freddie Roach said there is no way the Filipino champion can accommodate Barrera’s offer right now.

“The thing is we have a schedule right now…and then on to Morales,” Roach told Boxingtalk, referring to Pacquiao’s upcoming 10-round non-title fight against Mexican Oscar Larios on June 25 at the Araneta Coliseum, which precedes the third rematch with another Mexican, Erik Morales, in September in Las Vegas.

Instead, Roach offered a counter deal to Barrera: “You know what? Maybe we should counter offer with (Pacquiao’s younger brother) Bobby to fight Barrera.”

Winner

Roach was even bold enough to pick a winner should the match push through: “I think Bobby can beat Barrera.”

The American trainer sounded irritated after Barrera tried to avoid a rematch with Pacquiao when the Filipino’s camp had sought one.

“Every time we tried to get a fight with Barrera, there was always a reason they didn’t want the fight,” he said.

After Barrera suffered a humiliating 11th-round technical knockout loss to Pacquiao in November 2003, Barrera has picked up four straight wins and has won the WBC and International Boxing Federation (IBF) 130-pound titles.

He was earlier set to move up to the lightweight division and challenge IBF titleholder Jesus Chavez, but the fight was postponed after Chavez suffered a torn muscle in his left bicep, which requires surgery.

Roach, however, said a rematch with Barrera will push through if Morales chooses not to fight Pacquiao in September.

Morales suffered a 10th-round technical knockout to Pacquiao last January after winning their first bout by a close unanimous decision last year. (JCT)