Neither camp wants Joe Cortez as the third man on the ring.
Juan Manuel Marquez, who stakes his WBC super-featherweight crown against Manny Pacquiao on March 15 in Las Vegas, aired his objection over the possibility that the famous Puerto Rican referee would work the coming fight.
?Everything is well for my fight against Manny Pacquiao except for one thing: if they designate Joe Cortez (as referee) I am going to reject,? Marquez told Mexican newspaper Esto the other day.
Marquez, who fought Pacquiao to a controversial draw in May of 2004, said he was disappointed with the way Cortez and the three judges worked that fight. Up to this day he feels he won the fight despite going down thrice in the opening round.
?I continue to think that I won that fight. I was never in agreement with the judges and was neither in agreement with the work of Joe Cortez. If they designate him again, I will reject it, and ask the Nevada (commission) to put another referee,? said Marquez.
The world champion from Mexico also recalled the night of Sept. 11 in 1999, also in Mandalay Bay, the venue of the coming fight, when he fought American Freddie Norwood for the WBA featherweight crown, and lost with Cortez as the referee.
?That night (he) was totally in favor of Norwood,? said Marquez.
The feeling is mutual within Team Pacquiao.
Freddie Roach, who trains the Filipino champion, had repeatedly said before that he?d take any other referee, but Cortez, to work a Pacquiao fight.
Cortez was the third man on the ring when Pacquiao battled Erik Morales in a bloody 12-round decision in March, 2005 at the MGM Grand.
Pacquiao suffered a nasty cut in the fifth round, and Cortez saw it as a punch although replays showed it was caused by a headbutt.
?If Marquez doesn?t want Cortez, we don?t want him either. Freddie Roach said he doesn?t want Cortez to work a Pacquiao fight,? said Team Pacquiao insider Wakee Salud.
Pacquiao has fought thrice with Cortez on the ring, winning one against Lehlo Ledwaba in June of 2001, drawing against Marquez and losing to Morales.
The 63-year-old Cortez, a former Golden Gloves champion, is one of the best referees in the sport, having worked over 170 title fights, including those between Julio Cesar Chavez vs Oscar dela Hoya and Evander Holyfied vs Lennox Lewis, and Floyd Mayweather vs Ricky Hatton just recently.
Cortez is also famous for his patented ?I am fair but firm? catchphrase in his pre-fight instructions. He may not be able to drop that line for the Pacquiao-Marquez rematch.
