Stripping Juan Manuel Marquez of his World Boxing Council super featherweight crown ?would not be a problem? if only Manny Pacquiao would train very hard and focus on the task at hand.
But WBC president Don Jose Sulaiman on Tuesday warned that if the Filipino boxing icon ?doesn?t train strenuously he will have a big problem? even as he noted that Marquez has been training very hard even during the holiday season.
In an interview with Philboxing.com, Sulaiman said Marquez won?t be a problem if Pacquiao trains hard for their highly anticipated March 15 clash at the Mandalay Bay Resort Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.
Sulaiman, however, said Marquez is ?really very dedicated? and is raring to prove his worth against the flamboyant boxing superstar.
The WBC chief said the best chance for Marquez is to box against Pacquiao pointing to the danger of trying to slug it out with the Filipino southpaw who is a devastating puncher.
Sulaiman cited the fights of Marco Antonio Barrera against Pacquiao to drive home the point saying: ?In the first fight he wanted to punch and he was knocked out and demolished. In the second fight he decided to box and lasted the 12 rounds.?
Pacquiao, who knocked down Marquez thrice in the first round in their 2004 bout that ended in a controversial draw, will start his training at the Wild Card gym in Los Angeles on Jan. 15.
Unlike in the past, trainer Freddie Roach said Pacquiao will have a closed-door training, stressing they have to keep their strategy secret.
?We are fighting a real smart fighter and we are not taking this (fight) lightly,? said Roach.
The Filipino champion is leading in the early Las Vegas odds for the Marquez bout.
Meanwhile, Sulaiman said he is looking forward to a good year for the WBC and pro boxing. ?We have some very good fights scheduled but we have to attend to a lot of matters because there?s a lot going on in the boxing world.?
He also said he was ?very sad? over the fate of former WBC light flyweight champion Choi Yoi-sam of South Korea who was declared brain dead after lapsing in a coma following his win over Heri Amol of Indonesia in their WBO Intercontinental title fight.
