By Dallan O’Donnell: The highly anticipated fight with current lightweight WBO and WBA champion Juan Manuel Marquez and Michael Katsidis has not been postponed or called off yet despite the recent and sudden death of Katsidis brother. Reports suggest it will be up to Michael whether he is mentally able to take the fight which was scheduled for November 27 in Las Vegas. David itskowitch an executive for Golden Boy promotions has said “Our concern is for Michael as a person rather than boxing”. He added “We want him to be ok and I don’t know if he can be ok because he has just lost his brother”.

Itskowitch did go onto say that the bout had not been scrapped but it would be up to Michael whether he would be up to the fight come November. I am pleased that Golden Boy are looking out for Michael but in all honesty I cannot see the fight going ahead in just over a month this very sad news would have forced Katsidis to return to Brisbane in Australia from Thailand where he was training for the fight. A month delay so the fight can happen in December to make it a Christmas blockbuster or wait until the New Year would be more likely. “However long it takes” should be Golden Boys approach to give Michael the time he needs to recover from his tragic loss. My thoughts are with the Katsidis family at this time and I hope we will see this brilliant and exciting fighter in the ring again, for the title fight he deserves.