Juan Manuel Marquez plans to vacate his WBO lightweight title in hopes of landing big fights with Amir Khan or Manny Pacquiao.
The decision comes after the WBO announced earlier this week that Marquez must face their #1 contender Michael Katsidis in his next bout.
Juan Manuel Marquez defeated Juan Diaz for a second time last Saturday (July 31) to retain his WBA and WBO titles. In the post-fight interview, Marquez made it clear that his preference was a rubber match with Manny Pacquiao, and that such a bout was more important than future defenses of his lightweight crown.
However, Pacquiao’s promoter Bob Arum said that Marquez must prove he can fight competitively above lightweight to earn another shot at Manny Pacquiao. Since their last fight in 2008, Pacquiao has won a title at lightweight, the linear title at junior welterweight, and a title at welterweight. In November, he’ll face Antonio Margarito for a title at junior middleweight.
Marquez’s lone trip above 140 pounds was a lopsided decision loss to Floyd Mayweather last September.
“Well, I’ll throw out three or four names. If he were to fight Andre Berto, if here to fight Joshua Clottey, or he could Tim Bradley, or he could fight Devon Alexander,” Arum detailed. “Any of those four. And if he beats one of them, now he can say, ‘I can compete at the higher weights against Manny Pacquiao.’”
Marquez’s Golden Boy Promotions is reportedly looking to match Marquez at 140 pounds against promotional stable mate Amir Khan, who holds the WBA junior welterweight title.
The fight would take place on December 11.
Should Marquez relinquish his WBO lightweight title, Michael Katsidis would face Mercito Gesta for the vacant belt.
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Juan Manuel Marquez is 36 years old. He now sees the end of his career coming and of course wants to secure the most lucrative bouts.
Manny Pacquiao delivers that. Additionally, Marquez has unfinished business in the ring with the Filipino icon. I personally had him winning their last bout by just a point, and since then Marquez has clamored in the press for a third fight to settle the score.
But for once Bob Arum is right. When they last fought both fighters were super featherweights. Manny Pacquiao is now a legitimate welterweight whose power looks to have increased as he’s moved up. Marquez is still barely a lightweight, as evidenced by the fact he came in at 133.5 for the Diaz rematch. Floyd Mayweather makes everyone look bad, but Marquez’s timing and speed was considerably diminished when he weighed just 142 pounds. In fact, Marquez’s team blamed the weight as a main factor in their defeat.
Pacquiao’s choice to fight Antonio Margarito has received considerable criticism from fans and media. But if he’d signed to fight Marquez, it would’ve been just as bad if not worse. Boxing message boards would be bombarded with threads claiming Pacquiao was picking on a past prime smaller man, or even “Floyd’s leftovers.” By at least taking out a legit opponent above 140, it makes the fight a stronger sell as Arum pointed out.
But logic aside, my heart wants to see Marquez get a chance at revenge and closing out his career with a big payday in Pacquiao. Golden Boy wants him against Amir Khan to further build the latter’s reputation in America. Khan would likely beat him badly at 140, and for less money. At least with Pacquiao, Marquez would close out his career on a higher financial note.
With Pacquiao tied up this year with Margarito and likely to renew talks in early 2011 with Mayweather, bank on Juan Manuel Marquez signing on to face Amir Khan this December.
Beats, Boxing and Mayhem 