With World Boxing Association junior welterweight title holder Amir Khan barking at a deaf rival in Floyd Mayweather Junior and lightweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez watching a third crack at Manny Pacquiao sailing away, a bout between Khan and Marquez seems to be logical in the crazy world of professional boxing.
Marquez and his promotional representation Golden Boy Promotions pushed long and hard in the media for the Mexican City warrior to receive the nod against Pacquiao, but all indication point to the Filipino squaring off with Shane Mosley during the Spring of 2011.
The rivals that remain as possible opponent for Marquez at lightweight do not tickle the champion’s fancy, as he is looking to maximize the paydays for each of his final fights. Names like Jorge Linares and Robert Guerrero do not carry the promotion “umpf!” to generate Marquez million dollar pay checks.
A tangle with Amir Khan could bring Marquez a hefty bounty if HBO Championship Boxing opens up their budget to purchase the bout or an even larger windfall if Golden Boy Promotions pushes the fight to pay per view.
Along with visions of dollar signs, Khan’s WBA title provides Marquez a very special opportunity: a world title in a fourth weight division. A victory against Khan puts Marquez in the record books as the first Mexican to capture title in four weight classes.
Though the name of Zab Judah is being floated around for Khan in early 2011, that bout does not stir the emotions of boxing’s fan base and would represent a foolish use of resources on HBO’s part.
Other junior welterweights such as Devon Alexander, Timothy Bradley, and Victor Ortiz make for intriguing opponents for the young British fighter, but do not generate the excitement or revenue of Marquez.
In late 2009, Marquez was being mentioned as a possible rival for Khan. At that time Marquez’s long time trainer and manager Ignacio Beristain blaked at the idead, stating that his fighter would not be used to build Khan’s legacy.
Now with Marquez having washed the bad taste of a one-sided beating by Mayweather Junior out of our memories and Khan developing into a force within the sport, the bout makes sense for both fighters.
