Newly crowned WBC Super Featherweight Champion Juan Manuel Marquez says Marco Antonio Barrera doesn’t want an immediate re-match.
Juan, who was presented with the famous green belt at a Mexico City restaurant alongside beaming younger Brother and fellow WBC Champion Rafael, by its Executive Secretary Mauricio Sulaiman, said he really wanted the immediate re-match with Marco, because fight one had been such a fan thriller. But Juan ruefully reflected: “I want to fight Manny Pacquiao and Marco Antonio Barrera again. Marco was my preference, but he doesn’t seem to want to fight a re-match against me.”
Mauricio Sulaiman backed this up by explaining: “Marco has told us that he wants three to four months to take a vacation and think about his future.
“Our position is that we requested confirmation from Manny Pacquiao that he accepts that he is the WBC mandatory contender, which he has done.”
Noting the current problems between Golden Boy and Top Rank, Mauricio reflected: “Well, great fights, have great complications. It’s unfortunate that they are having their own fight, and that could prevent great fights from happening.”
Acknowledging that Juan vs. Manny looks the much more likely next clash, Mauricio agreed: “Well yes, as long as promoters can reach an amicable agreement, sit down and shake hands and make the great fight happen.”
The bumps and bruises, which are almost becoming his trade mark, have subsided, but Juan, who was soberly attired bank manager style- in an understated gray pin stipe suit, crisp white shirt and tasteful pale gray tie, is still sporting a nasty stitched gash over his right eye. He confirms he’s going to take a month off himself, before getting back to the hard grind.
Now he’s had a chance to face both Marco and Manny, Juan says that the Filipino marvel is definitely a harder hitter and is a physically stronger fighter. But: “Manny attacks without defense, sometimes disregarding what sort of punches are coming back his way.
“I’m telling you, my next fight against Manny is going to be very different. I was over confident in the first fight, and almost paid the consequences. In our next fight, I’m going to be concentrating fully. The key will be a combination of intelligence, boxing skills and also power. And I must insure that he doesn’t connect strongly with his left.”
Looking back on that incredible action packed and dramatic round seven in the fight against Marco, Juan conceded: “I was winning the round, and I was on the point of knocking him out. I was about to connect, when he beat me to it with a straight right. However, I was fine and my head was clear.”
Juan says he feels that Marco hit him when he’d touched the canvass, out of sheer exasperation because the fight was ebbing away from him, but it made Juan extremely angry and motivated him to fight all the harder. He sportingly dismissed it by saying: “What happened in the ring is one thing, and out of the ring is quite another.”
Juan’s Manager Ignacio “Nacho” Beristain who greatly admires Marco and says that this last fight has been the most significant of Juan’s career to date, also explained: “I’m not trying to justify what Marco did, but a champion defends a title with his heart, soul, body and everything.”
Don Ignacio confirmed that Juan has already signed a contract to fight in September, and that he’s patiently waiting for Oscar to complete his fight against Floyd Mayweather Jr, but also for him to sit down with Bob Arum to thrash out any differences and reach an agreement.
As for Manny, Don Ignacio said: “Manny is a demon in the ring, and he can react like a wildcat. He’s very fast, and you can’t predict what’s going to happen in any round. And Freddie Roach has improved his right hook too and his overall style.”
Supremely confident that Juan will tame Manny next time around, Don Ignacio said a crucial key to it, would be lots more sparring with natural southpaws, which were in scant supply for Juan last time around.”
WBC Super Bantamweight champ Rafael Marquez was mobbed by photographers as he stood shoulder to shoulder with his big Brother Juan Manuel enthused: “This has been our dream since we were children. And now we’re going to work even harder for our fans in the United States, Mexico and the rest of Latin America.”
