THE Manny Pacquiao vs. Jun Manuel Marquez rematch is unlikely to happen. Not this year.
This after the mandated free negotiations for the Pacquiao-Marquez WBC super featherweight championship is expected to end with no deal in sight.
Earlier, WBC president Jose Sulaiman ordered the camps of Marquez, the reigning champion and Pacquiao, the failed politician and the mandatory challenger, to start negotiations for a rematch.
However, the two parties—Marquez’s Golden Boy Promotions and Pacquiao’s Top Rank Promotions—are currently locked in a legal battle as to which outfit own the rights to promote Pacquiao.
“The free negotiation term will close next June 18, if an agreement has not been reached, the corresponding purse bid would take place at the WBC Headquarters in Mexico City,” Sulaiman said in WBC’s website.
However, Pacquiao’s promoter, Bob Arum shot down the proposed purse bid.
“That can’t be done because Manny won’t get the lion’s share of the purse,” Arum said in a report posted at philboxing.com.
Under the WBC rules, the champion will get either 70 or 55 percent of the money under a purse offer. The split will only be 50-50 in case of vacant titles.
Arum is touting that Marquez is not the attraction but Pacquiao, who had already proven his worth on many occasions.
Back in 2004, Marquez, who was then the holder of the WBA and IBF featherweight titles, opted to reject his scheduled rematch with the Filipino warrior because Top Rank offered more money to Pacquiao.
Hurdle
Another potential hurdle to the rematch is the schedule of both Pacquiao and Marquez, who fought to a draw in 2004.
Marquez is set to defend his belt in September with Marco Antonio Barrera as his likely opponent, while Pacquiao is also slated to fight on Oct. 6.
To finalize Pacquiao’s next fight, Arum is going to sit down with his prized boxer, once the General Santos City puncher arrives in the US on May 28 for a family vacation and to receive his “Fighter of the Year Award.” The award will be given by the Boxing Writers Association of America on June 9 in New York.
Arum will let Pacquiao chose his next opponent, who will most likely be the undefeated WBO super featherweight champion Joan Guzman.
