Talks of Juan Manuel Marquez declining a fifth fight with arch rival Manny Pacquiao seems nothing but a pre fight negotiating stance by Marquez’s handlers to bag the biggest purse in his boxing career. Marquez has issued a statement saying there is no point in pursuing a fifth fight with Pacquiao following his stunning knockout victory over the Filipino fighter. ?I think for me there is no point [in a fifth fight]. The business that we had pending is already settled, so then for what? I?ve asked several people, several friends that I have around me and they tell me no, in no case a fifth fight?before the fourth bout, I said regardless of how this fight ends, there cannot be a fifth.? Marquez said in a report by Boxing Scene For boxing fans who are not familiar with pre-fight promotions, Marquez’s statement seems the end of the Pacquaio-Marquez saga. But critics say it is nothing but a way of getting the promoters to shell out more dollars to guarantee the prize. For Marquez, a fifth fight with Pacquiao will likely give him the biggest and most lucrative prize of his career. There are reports that Marquez will get as much as $10 million for a fifth fight with Pacquiao which is almost double the prize he got for his winning bout with the eight-division champion last Dec. 8. Critics say, no other fighter can offer him the opportunity to make more than $10 million at this time of his career. What Marquez’s handlers seem to be doing at this time is to condition the mind of the stakeholders and to get the promoters to bring up the ante for the fight. It is expected that Marquez would be looking at more $12 million guaranteed prize but may eventually settle for $10 million plus share in the pay-per-view (PPV) revenue. Pacquiao, who was reportedly guaranteed $23 million for the Dec.8 fight with Marquez, could get anywhere from $25 to $30 million for a fifth fight with the Mexican counter-puncher. A fight fight with Pacquiao could make Marquez richer by at least $15 million inclusive of PPV share. It appears that no other fighter in the level of Pacquiao can passively bring him that kind of money, not even the popular and unbeaten Floyd Mayweather, Jr. Seemingly, Marquez will have to fight at least three more opponents to generate the sum that he will get for doing another fight with Pacquiao. Regardless of outcome of the fight, Marquez can look forward to a secured retirement from the huge guaranteed prize and share in the PPV revenues if he finally decides to face Pacquiao for the fifth time.
