By Dallan o’ Donnell: Juan Manuel Marquez has apparently priced himself out of a fight with pound for pound king Manny Pacquiao, according to Pacquiao’s trainer Freddie Roach. Marquez had requested a 50-50 purse split.

Roach said there was no way they would agree to that and went on to say in an article at malaya.com.ph, that “Marquez is in need to fight Manny yet he demands a purse split”. Marquez has fought Pacquiao twice drawing the first and losing the second in a very close split decision.

With Marquez now off the list of potential opponents for Pacquiao this leaves only two others- Shane Mosley and Andre Berto. Mosley is the most likely and I expect that fight to happen as does Freddie Roach who said that negotiations for a fight with Mosley are still going on.

Roach said that in terms of probability the likely opponent would be Mosley. Roach also expects Mosley will be a tough test for Manny. “He will be at his best. He will be Manny’s toughest opponent than that crazy one I don’t know who”, referring to Floyd Mayweather.

Unfortunately I don’t share Roach’s enthusiasm about this fight being Manny’s toughest. Mosley is far beyond his best years now and could be thinking of that one last big payday.

Although I do expect him to train hard and give it his all and maybe he can turn the boxing world on its head. I would have preferred to see Marquez in there with Manny but even more so I would have preferred to see Mayweather in there with Manny hopefully they can make that fight happen after the Mosley/Berto bout.