After a draw in 2004 and controversial split-decision loss in 2008 against pound for pound best boxer Manny Pacquiao, lightweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez (Mexico City, Mexico) cannot seem to get the Filipino out of his crosshairs.
So much so, that Marquez (51-5, 37 KOs) will likely by pass potentially intriguing fights against other lightweights in his quest to corner Pacquiao into an unlikely third fight.
During his weekly appearance as an analyst on ESPN’s Golpe a Golpe, Marquez politely nixed the idea of fights with Venezuelan Jorge Linares and countryman Humberto Soto.
“They are good fighters,” said Marquez, “but I am looking for bigger things, bigger fights after Katsidis.”
Marquez is scheduled to defend his lightweight crown against Michael Katsidis (27-2, 22 KOs) on November 27th.
With Manny Pacquiao fighting as a junior middleweight on November 13 against Antonio Margarito, and his promoter Top Rank in a legal feud with Golden Boy (Marquez’s representation), a trilogy between the men is a mute point.
Linares and Marquez would seem logical, as Linares (31-0, 19 KOs) is promoted by Golden Boy and is in the process of resurrecting his once blue-chip career after a 2009 first round knock-out defeat against Juan Carlos Salgado.
Though Soto (53-7, 32 KOs) might deserve the opportunity against Marquez, due to his promotional relationship with Top Rank, it is unlikely an encounter with Marquez would take place.
