MANILA, Philippines – A rematch clause worth $10 million could make Golden Boy Promotions think twice before it matches Top Rank?s offer to Juan Manuel Marquez regarding a third fight with Manny Pacquiao.
Arum told Filipino scribes the other day that Golden Boy, which has promotional rights over Marquez, has only until the 16th of this month, this coming Monday, to match its offer to Marquez.
Top Rank gave Marquez a revised offer last Monday, and the 37-year-old Mexican, who figured in two close fights with Pacquiao in 2004 and 2008, readily accepted the offer, saying it?s the fight he wants.
Golden Boy has the right to match it, and look for another opponent for Marquez, under the same terms that include a $5 million guaranteed purse, a catchweight of 144 pounds and the date on Nov. 12.
The offer also states that the fight will take place in Las Vegas.
Golden Boy can find these terms easy to match because they have a couple of fighters in mind as Marquez? next opponent, like Saul Alvarez of Victor Ortiz, who was recently mentioned as Floyd Mayweather?s next opponent.
Mayweather, however, said the other day there?s no truth to reports that he?s facing Ortiz in September at the Cowboys Stadium in Dallas.
But what may force Golden Boy to give the green light to Pacquiao-Marquez Part 3 is the rematch clause offering the Mexican counterpuncher $10 million in case he beats Pacquiao, the LA Times reported.
?I just have to wait,? were Marquez? words following Pacquiao?s lopsided win against Shane Mosley at the MGM Grand last Saturday.
Pacquiao?s chief trainer, Freddie Roach, said at the Wild Card Gym that Marquez is the best fight out there for Pacquiao, and not Timothy Bradley, Zab Juddah or middleweight champion Sergio Martinez.
?They have a great history,? said Roach of Pacquiao and Marquez.
And he said he likes the fight so they can finally put Marquez out after three knockdowns and a draw in 2004, and one knockdown and an equally controversial split decision favoring the Filipino in 2008.
Roach is confident that people will buy this fight if it happens.
?He?s (Marquez) got a lot of balls, too and I can?t take that away from him. But I definitely thought we won both fights,? said Roach.
?It will be a good, competitive fight and it will be good for boxing. And if they fight again it will be another good fight,? he added.
