By Chris Williams: Bob Arum is going to have to look for someone else for Manny Pacquiao to fight with in September because Juan Manuel Marquez (55-6-1, 40 KO’s) says he has his mind made up that he wants to fight for a fifth world title against WBO welterweight champion Tim Bradley (30-0, 12 KO’s) instead of fighting Pacquiao again, according to The Record.
Arum likely will continue to push for the fifth fight between Pacquiao and Marquez regardless of Marquez saying he’s not interested because it’s the most money that can be made for a Pacquiao fight and he badly needs to avenge his 6th round knockout loss to Marquez from last December.
Marquez says he’s only interested in fighting one more time before he retires, so the chances of Arum luring Marquez into a fight with Pacquiao after the Bradley fight aren’t good.
One thing that Marquez seems to be forgetting is that Arum will likely snatch Bradley up for Pacquiao’s next fight in September if Marquez says no to fighting Pacquiao.
Bradley will no doubt that the fight with Pacquiao in a second because it will give him another shot at a $5 million payday. Against Marquez, Bradley would likely make little more than a $1 million for the fight.
Marquez will either have to wait for Bradley to fight Pacquiao again or he’s going to have to fight one of Arum’s Top Rank stable fighters Mike Alvarado or Brandon Rios.
The negative in fighting those guys is there would be no title on the line for the fight because neither guy has a title strap in their possession, and Marquez would be getting a tainted fighter in Rios if he were to fight him next.
Rios was just beaten by Alvarado by a 12 round decision. There’s no upside in facing Rios or Alvarado, and Marquez would only be helping Arum out by fighting them by making them more popular fighters.
If Arum snatches Bradley away from Marquez by putting him in with Pacquiao, then Marquez is going to have to make a decision about what he wants to do with his career. He can face Rios or Alvarado and get nothing for fighting them in terms of a title belt or he can take a stay busy fight while he waits for the Bradley-Pacquiao fight to conclude. But if Pacquiao beats Bradley, then Marquez is going to have to fight Pacquiao if he wants the strap.
My recommendation is for Marquez to challenge one of the other welterweight champions if Arum matches Bradley with Pacquiao because there’s no point in sitting around and waiting for what will likely be Pacquiao wining the WBO belt.
If Marquez doesn’t want to fight Pacquiao again then he’s going to need to go after one of the other champions because I’m pretty sure that Arum is going to use Bradley as Pacquiao’s next opponent rather than having him fight Alvarado or Rios.
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