International promoter Murad Muhammad yesterday disclosed that world champion Juan Manuel Marquez wanted him to take over the career of the Mexican pug who was angry at Bob Arum of Top Rank for setting aside the Feb. 26 fight against Filipino hero Manny Pacquiao.
Marquez was left out and Pacquiao will get to fight another Mexican fighter Erik Morales on March 19.
In an overseas telephone conversation from the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas, Muhammad told Viva Sports/Manila Standard, ?Marquez, his trainer Ignacio Beristain and his handlers are in my office wanting to leave Top Rank and come over to me.?
Muhammad said he told Marquez ?there are two things I don?t do. In the boxing industry, I don?t interfere in anyone?s contract and in my private life, I don?t mess with anyone?s wife.?
Muhammad?s advice to Marquez was: ?If you?ve got a contract, live up to it.? The well-known promoter said he believes Marquez ?owes Top Rank a couple more fights and my suggestion to Marquez is to fulfill his obligations.?
Muhammad told Viva Sports/Manila Standard when he had clinched the Morales-Pacquiao fight during a meeting with Arum in Las Vegas, that he thought Marquez was truly a champion with ?great heart and great ability? even as he advised Marquez to ?bide his time because we (meaning Pacquiao) want to fight him.?
Muhammad reiterated that the Pacquiao-Marquez fight didn?t bring the HBO ratings. Marquez, who turned down an offer of $750,000 and instead demanded $1.5 million to Pacquiao?s announced $900,000 purse, ?priced himself out,? which forced Arum and him to sit down and talk about Morales. ?We called Morales and he said ?bring it on.? We called Pacquiao and he said ?bring it on.?
That?s how the classic war was made.
