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Lem’s latest: Marquez eyes Fedchenko, craves rematch with Pacquiao

Fighters Network
04
Apr

“That’s the single factor is that I want the rematch. I want the rematch with Manny. The factor that returned me to this sport is that I want the rematch. I have a tough fight on April 14, but I am training very hard again. I won the last fight with Manny, but I want to demonstrate who really won, so I’m looking for the rematch,” said Marquez.

“The most important thing is that I like to fight, and I like to compete and that’s the most important thing. So I will fight on April 14, and I feel very happy about that. But after the last fight with Manny, I considered retirement because I trained very hard and everybody knows that I won the fight. I felt very angry about the decision. Everybody knows that I’m looking for the rematch with Manny.”

MARQUEZ RESILIENT DESPITE OBSESSION WITH PACQUIAO

Marquez has rarely faltered or lost focus in the ring in other fights despite zeal to chase down Pacquiao.



He rebounded from the draw with Pacquiao by scoring two straight wins, the first being a unanimous decision over current WBO featheweight beltholder, Orlando Salido, in September of 2004.

After falling by unanimous decision to present WBA featherweight titleholder, Chris John, in March of 2006, Marquez reeled off four straight wins, including decisions over Marco Antonio Barrera and Rocky Juarez in March and November of 2007, respectively.

Marquez rebounded from the initial loss to Pacquiao with consecutive knockouts of Joel Casamayor and Juan Diaz in the 11th and ninth rounds in September of 2008 and February of 2009. Both fighters were stopped for the first time in their careers.

Marquez followed his one-sided decision loss to Floyd Mayweather Jr. in September of 2010 with three straight wins, comprised of a decision over Diaz and stoppages of tough Michael Katsidis and Likar Ramos in the ninth and first rounds.

“There are very few fighters who can do what JuanMa does. Marquez is one of the best out there. Great counterpuncher, great technician, great boxer. He’s still got it. That’s why he’s still fighting,” said Rios.

“I respect everything that he does. I have nothing bad to say about the guy. He’s nice, polite and likeable and he gives the fans what they want. He’s not old, he’s still young. He’s a young 38 years old.”

Marquez’s resiliency is not lost on Arum.

“Juan Manuel is a serious man. Boxing is his profession, and he takes it seriously. So he keeps himself in good shape, he doesn’t get out of shape,” said Arum of Marquez, who rose from a third-round knockdown against Katsidis.

“He’s tremendously prepared, he has a great trainer, and he is somebody who lives by that discipline can fight for longer than a person who hasn’t. I think that’s the key to his longevity in the sport.”

Marquez’s ability to focus on Pacquiao compares favorably to that of Roberto Duran, who lost two of three bouts during his trilogy with Sugar Ray Leonard.

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“It’s a sign of being a great fighter. Look at Duran. When he lost the second time to Leonard, he didn’t just pack his bag and go away. It took him time to get himself together. But then he had this unbelievable win at Madison Square Garden and scored the knockout against Davey Moore. Then he fought [Marvin] Hagler virtually to a standstill, and just lost the last couple of rounds,” said Arum.

“But Duran didn’t let that deter him. Later on, he fought Iran Barkley to win a championship in one of the great fights of all time and won the middleweight championship. All the while, he was pining to fight Sugar Ray Leonard again, which finally did. So these are professionals. The great fighters are professionals and they deal with the task at hand.”

Marquez steadfastly communicated his single-ness of purpose to face Pacquiao during a December interview with RingTV.com,, even discounting potential fights against Rios and four-division title-winner and then-WBC beltholder Erik Morales, of Mexico.

“I don’t like the fight with Erik Morales, I don’t want the fight with Brandon Rios,” said Marquez, whose assertions were made the night prior to Rios’s stopping England’s John Murray in the 11th round at New York’s Madison Square Garden.

“I want to fight with the best fighters. And if Manny Pacquiao says no, then maybe then I will re-think my career. A lot of people think that I’m going out a winner. I think the same. My team thinks the same. The people are the best judges for me.”

Even if he is succesful against Bradley, Arum said that there is only distant hope, at best, that Pacquiao will attempt to renew the twice-failed negotiations for a bout against WBC welterweight beltholder Mayweather (42-0, 26 KOs), who is rising to challenge WBA junior middleweight titleholder, Miguel Cotto, on May 5 at the MGM Grand.

“If Manny Pacquiao wants the fourth fight, I want that fourth fight,” said Marquez. in December. “But if Pacquiao don’t want to fight with me, maybe I will re-think my future.”

Arum said there still is a chance, however, that Pacquiao-Marquez IV will take place before Mayweather-Pacquiao.

“I have to be realistic about this. I don’t think that Mayweather will be available in the fall to fight Manny. He certainly doesn’t indicate that he wants to fight him now. I would think that probably everybody would be better off if we thought about that fight next year. But everything is open,” said Arum of Mayweather, who is slated to begin serving jail time on June 1.

“First of all, Manny’s got a really tough fight with Bradley. And secondly, depending on how things break, everybody would certainly agree that Juan Manuel deserves a rematch. So I would think that that what would be what I would be focusing on. Manny can chase the wild rabbit in the television commercial, but as a promoter, I can’t chase a wild rabbit. So I’m concentrating on if Manny can fight through next year, I’m planning or hoping that the Mayweather fight can take place next year.”

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