By Chris Williams: WBA/WBC lightweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez (52-5-1, 38 KO’s), who fights at 135 pounds, says he tried to get his November fight against Manny Pacquiao to take place at 143 rather than the 144 pound catchweight that they finally agreed upon but they said no. Marquez knew better than to have Pacquiao meet him half way between lightweight and welterweight at 140, and didn’t bother asking Pacquiao to meet him at the half way point.

In an article at Alos Golpes at ESPN, Marquez said “I asked the fight at 143 and they didn’t want to. Imagine. Then the limit is going to be at 144 pounds. If I had asked the fight at 140, take for granted that they wouldn’t have done it.”

Incredible. So what Marquez is saying is that they wouldn’t meet him 143, one whole pound away 144. Gosh, that’s disappointing, because Pacquiao has been coming into his fights recently weighing 145 and by asking him to come in two pounds lower than that to accommodate Marquez doesn’t seem to be asking a lot. Marquez has shown that he can’t fight well over 140, and by sticking the fight limit at 144, it’s going to make it hard for Marquez to even compete. Why couldn’t Pacquiao fight Marquez at 140 or 143? Wouldn’t that theoretically make things more even so that Pacquiao could finally after three long years have a competitive fight? What’s wrong with that?

Marquez is going to put on weight with medical help, saying “We will make a special preparation. Now I’ll do it under medical guidance and by people who will support us to gain weight without losing speed. So now it will be different.”

Marquez shouldn’t put too much faith in doctors. They’re human and they can certainly design a good diet for putting on weight, but that doesn’t mean that they can come up with a plan where Marquez won’t lose speed. That’s giving doctor’s special powers that they just don’t have. I can see Marquez being just as slow as he was for the Floyd Mayweather Jr. fight in 2009 regardless of whether Marquez puts the weight on slowly or quickly. The problem is that when you put on weight, it slows you down. Look at Pacquiao. He doesn’t look as fast on his feet as he used to be and doesn’t jump around anymore. Pacquiao is more of a plodder now and you have to look at his weight as the issue for his slowing down.