By Chris Williams: Boxing great Juan Manuel Marquez (53-6-1, 39 KO’s) won’t be given a fourth fight with WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao on a silver platter in 2012, despite many people in the boxing world as having seen Marquez beating Pacquiao in his last fight last November, as well as in their 2008 fight.

Marquez isn’t getting the rematch right away with Pacquiao and instead will have to get through Sergiy Fedchenko (30-1, 13 KO’s) and possibly former WBA lightweight champion Brandon Rios in a fight on July 14th. What this does by Marquez facing Rios is that it increases the value of Rios, as long as he doesn’t get beaten too badly. Rios is promoted by Bob Arum, the same promoter as Pacquiao. This makes it more clear. Marquez faces Fedchenko and Rios, and then if he’s still winning, he gets the Pacquiao fight.

If he loses, then it’s hard to see him getting the Pacquiao fight. Rios would then be the guy that gets the Pacquiao fight. If your Marquez and you really want the Pacquiao fourth fight, you take the Rios fight. But it’s pretty bad that Marquez will have to fight this guy before the Pacquiao rematch rather than just straightaway. I wouldn’t take the fight if I was Marquez unless Rios is willing to fight him at 140 in Mexico, not Texas or wherever Rios wants the fight to take place.

Fedchenko won’t be any problem for Marquez to beat on April 14th. The two of them will be fighting for the interim WBO light welterweight title at the New Mexico City Arena, Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico.

Marquez is a lot better than Fedchenko and I can’t understand why a better fighter than him wasn’t found among the light welterweights to be put in the ring with Marquez. The plus side is it gives Marquez an easy win, but the negative is it won’t draw a lot of fan interest in this PPV bout on HBO.