Oscar De La Hoya went into lobbying mode in the last few days, calling for Manny Pacquiao to give Juan Manuel Marquez, a Golden Boy fighter, a third crack.
A majority of fans in TSS Universe that reacted to a Thursday “Should Manny fight JMM a third time?” piece on TSS didn’t share Oscar’s enthusiasm for Pacman-JMM III, with most bringing up the point that Pacquiao has proved himself at welterweight, while Marquez has not, and wouldn’t be able to hang and bang at 147. They point to JMM’s poor showing against Floyd Mayweather in the welterweight realm (Marquez weighed 142, Floyd 146 in their Sept. 2009 bout) as proof that Manny is too strong, and the men are too far apart, weight wise, to make a third scrap plausible.
Freddie Roach does not agree. The California based trainer told TSS that he’d love to see Pacquiao-Marquez III, that a compromise in the weight department could be reached, and that if Antonio Margarito’s licensing issue isn’t hashed out pretty soon, he’d push hard for a third showdown.
“I don’t care about the weight, if Marquez feels he can fight and beat Manny, I think that fight sells, does the most business,” Roach told me. “Manny can still make 140, we could fight at a catchweight. Aside from Margarito and Marquez, we’re limited in options. Some guys are world class, but not yet popular. Besides a Floyd fight, a third fight with Marquez is the best one out there.”
Roach has made it clear to Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum that he’s keen on seeing Pacquiao smack down Marquez and his trainer Nacho Beristain, who have been vocal about their desire to get into the win column against Manny, after getting a draw and a disputed loss against the Congressman.
Roach was asked if Pacquiao advisor Michael Koncz was down with a third Marquez fight, or not, and he threw a stiff hook at the Canadian. “I don’t speak about him about that stuff, because he has no knowledge of boxing,” Freddie said.
Arum, Freddie said, is open to Manny-JMM III.
“I’d like to see a third fight, cause I’d like to shut Marquez up,” Roach said.
The It trainer of today also said he hasn’t given up hope that Floyd Mayweather will quit dithering, and accept the Pacquiao challenge.
“I think it will happen, next year,” Roach said. “I hope as soon as possible. The latest I heard is that Don King might get with Floyd, and Don makes things happen.”
And why, Roach was asked, hasn’t Floyd grabbed ahold of the chance to shut up those who say Manny’s the man, Pound for Pound, in the game?
“He’s afraid to get a loss on his record. If he doesn’t lose, he can say for the rest of his life he’s the best of all time. With one loss, he can’t argue that.”
So, is Floyd worried about the legal situation involving his trainer/uncle Roger Mayweather, accused of assaulting a female fighter who he’d trained?
“He doesn’t care about his uncle,” Roach said. “Floyd runs the show. During “Dancing With the Stars,” I let him use the gym, he tells everyone what to do.”
Roach doesn’t have a philosophical or ethical problem with Margarito, now trying to get the okay to fight in Texas, getting a chance to ply his trade, after being busted for attempting to use hardened hand wraps before his 2009 fight with Shane Mosley. Margarito said that his now former trainer Javier Capetillo is solely responsible for the incident, that he was unaware of anything shady going on. Roach doesn’t buy the explanation, and neither did the California commission, which ruled 5-1 against allowing the Mexican to get a license to fight, saying he hasn’t shown proper contrition for the offense.
“I find it hard to believe Margarito didn’t know,” the trainer said. “As a fighter, I was very aware of the hand wrapping process.”
Roach wonders if Margarito had previously used an illegal aid to his punching power. “I’ve had people tell me he has great punching power, and others telling me he hits like a girl,” Roach said.
TSS U, you heard Freddie’s take. Coach Roach wants Manny-JMM III? You still don’t think the weight disparity can be solved? We always hear that JMM has Manny’s number, shouldn’t we get another fight, so that perhaps we can decide, conclusively, if that is true? Weigh in!
