Contrary to the imagination of Juan Manuel Marquez and his vocal promoter Richie Rich Schaefer, Bob Arum said he is not opposed to a third fight between his cash cow Manny Pacquiao and the counterpunching Mexican.
But, and it’s a big one, Arum said Juan Ma has a definite hurdle to leap before any substantive plans will be made so that the Pinoy Idol and JMM can start readying for what would be the 25th round in their compelling series.
?I am not going to get slaughtered by the media and everyone else,? Arum said by telephone from Los Angeles Tuesday, ?and I would get slaughtered, and rightly so, if I tried to make a third fight between Manny and Juan Ma right now.?
According to Arum, there’s a serious credibility gap as to Marquez being as highly competitive as he was in their two controversial bouts.
?Look, Marquez has been a pretty good fighter over his career, no doubt,? Arum said. ?But all that’s been at lower weights than where Manny is right now. Manny is a fullfledged welterweight and Marquez is just a good lightweight.
?Marquez hasn’t exactly been a ball of fire at lightweight. He beat poor Juan Diaz, who hasn’t won a fight in years, so that is not very impressive.
?I’m not demeaning the guy, he’s been a terrific fighter overall but he’s not in Manny’s weight class at this time. Fighting Amir Khan is meaningless so I say let Marquez go out and fight a Tim Bradley, a Devon Alexander or an Andre Berto. Let him fight and beat one of those guys.
?Is that too much to ask? Really, I would love to make the third fight with Marquez against Manny but Marquez has to show the public that he can be successful at a higher weight, at a weight nearer where Manny is?
Richie Rich, who runs Golden Boy for titular head Oscar de la Hoya, twitted Arum for rejecting a third JMM-MP bout in an interview with the Associated Press.
?Well, we all know Bob wants to do the in-house stuff, and that?s his choice,” Schaefer said. ?It?s clearly unfinished business there, but it?s all right. Marquez is not a beggar. We?re not going to go on our knees. There are so many other great fights out there.We all know it isn?t Manny Pacquiao that doesn?t want the fight. It?s his promoter that doesn?t want to fight Marquez, and that?s fine.”
?I?m going to keep pressing on and doing my best, and if I get a chance with Pacquiao, I?m going to use it,” Marquez said.
?Juan Manuel Marquez is fully licensed and approved to fight in Nevada on November 13, just in case Bob is wondering,” Schaefer said.
Arum did jab back at Marquez and his Golden Guys concerning the mild gate and attendance figures Saturday night at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas as he Marquez schooled the plodding Diaz for a second time.
Golden Boy reported a total attendance of 8,500, about half the capacity of the Grand Garden Arena adjacent to the sprawling hotel-casino.
?That fight did not do very well,? Arum said. ?They reported 8,500 tickets so you can figure that means about 6,500 were paid. Their gate was well under $1 million.
?Marquez has never been a real Mexican icon like (Marco Antonio) Barrera or (Erik) Morales were but I don’t think that’s the problem, really. It’s just that, right now, Marquez remains only a lightweight.?
Arum said ?there is silence in the Middle east, no guns blazing? as Pacman agent Michael Koncz continues to huddle with investors who wish to bring an Antonio Margarito-Pacquiao Nov. 13 bout to Abu Dhabi.
?Maybe that’s a good thing,? Arum said, ?maybe Mike is making progress with them. Maybe I will get camels to put all over my yard in Las Vegas.?
I asked if Arum would announce anything definitive as to the Nov. 13 site this week.
?No,? Arum said, ?but I might announce I’m going on a flight to Abu Dhabi.?
It’s no secret that Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Tx., site of the March 13 Joshua Clottey-Manny Pacquiao bout is most likely to land Manny’s bout against Margarito.
Margarito goes back before the California boxing board on Aug. 18 seeking clearance to fight there which would help his cause in Texas or elsewhere.
There’s been speculation that Top Rank might hold a press conference at Jerry Jones’ glittering football playpen on Aug. 31.
The NFL team plays an away game on Sunday, Nov. 14.
And now the Marquez ball is back in the Golden court.
