More than two weeks after losing to Manny Pacquiao, Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez remains bitter that his Filipino conqueror is looking the other way and not too keen in giving boxing fans the fight they are all aching to see.
“If this fight will not happen, that is because Pacquiao doesn?t want to fight to happen and not because I don?t want the fight to take place,” said Marquez in an interview over Dennis Principe?s program over DZSR yesterday morning.
“Now is the best time to put up the third fight while people are talking about it,” said Texas-based Jaime Quintana, who advises Marquez and frequently acts as the 34-year-old fighter?s interpreter.
“While it is hot, we must put the fight together because the people might lose interest in it (if we delay it).”
Pacquiao fashioned out a close 12-round split decision in taking the World Boxing Council (WBC) super-featherweight title from Marquez at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.
Marquez and Quintana share the sentiment that Top Rank?s plan to pit Pacquiao against David Diaz, the reigning WBC lightweight champion, is not going to click.
Top Rank head Bob Arum is pushing for a Pacquiao-Diaz encounter on June 28 also at Mandalay Bay, saying that a third fight between Pacquiao and Marquez can wait.
Marquez?s camp doesn?t see it that way.
“Pacquiao against Diaz is not an interesting fight. Only Marquez can give Pacquiao the best offer he can get,” said Quintana, noting that should Pacquiao win the WBC 135-lb crown, there?s nobody else with an attractive name over at Top Rank who can generate the buzz that Marquez created when he agreed to meet Pacquiao for the second time.
“Marquez should earn more if a third fight is arranged and that holds true also with Pacquiao,” said Quintana, admitting that Marquez is again willing to give out more concessions provided that he gets the opportunity to meet Pacquiao.
Quintana said Pacquiao has limited options over at Top Rank.
“With Arum, Pacquiao can only fight Diaz but next to that there?s no other fighter Pacquiao can fight under Top Rank.”
Even British main man Ricky Hatton, who is being looked at as a possibility for Pacquiao late this year, will not be allowed to bang with Pacquiao.
“Ricky Hatton is a Golden Boy fighter and do you think Golden Boy will allow Hatton to fight Pacquiao if they don?t let Marquez get his rematch with Pacquiao?” asked Quintana, who figured in a verbal tussle with Arum during the post-fight press conference.
Marquez, who is vacationing with his family in Mexico, said he proved in the second fight that he is the better man just like during the first time they met in May, 2004 when he picked himself up from three first-round knockdowns en route to a 12-round split draw.
Under Arum?s plan for 2008, Pacquiao will face Diaz in late-June, resurface sometime in September and make a farewell fight for 2008 in December.
Meanwhile, Pacquiao is enjoying the fruits of his labor by spending more quality time with his loved ones.
But the break is going to be short since Pacquiao expects to report for training at the Wild Card in late-April or early-May for the Diaz fight.
