MEXICAN featherweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez is the choice of HBO Boxing as opponent for Filipino star Manny Pacquiao.
This was revealed yesterday by Pacquiao?s business manager Rod Nazario, who told the Bulletin that the Mexican jawcracker holds an edge over American Paulie Ayala and Mexican Oscar Larios. Ayala is a former world champion who was once voted by The Ring magazine as its Fighter of the Year, while Larios is the World Boxing Council super-bantamweight titlist. According to the WBC, it will allow Larios to fight Pacquiao at 126 lbs since his mandatory defense is not yet due.
Marquez holds two featherweight titles?the World Boxing Association and International Boxing Federation (IBF)?and should be a worthy challenger for the heavy-handed GenSan puncher who is now regarded as one of the world?s best regardless of weight.
