Boxing News 2014: Marquez in About Face, Willing to Fight Pacquiao If Filipino Boxer Wins Bout vs Bradley; Eyes 5th Title
YouTube/Israel Khalid
Top Rank Promotions boss Bob Arum disclosed on Monday that Mexican boxer Juan Manuel Marquez has changed his mind and is interested in fighting eight-division title holder Manny Pacquiao. But he has one condition - that the Filipino congressman from Sarangani province beat Timothy Bradley and gain back the WBO welterweight belt.
Arum explained that Marquez wants to own that title before he retires from the ring, so he changed his mind and agreed to fight the winner of the Pacquiao-Bradley match in the fall.
If he wins the title, Marquez could retire at 40 with 5 titles to his name: the welterweight, featherweight, super featherweight, lightweight and light welterweigh. He currently shares the distinction of having four division world titles with boxers Erik Morales and Jorge Arce.
But winning his fifth title would still be 3 titles short of the 8 titles that Pacquiao held.
Marquez tried twice to snatch the WBO welterweight title, but he lost to the Filipino southpaw in their third bout and to Bradley in a split decision in 2013.
Arum pointed out, quoted by GMA, "He doesn't want to face Pacquiao again if Pacquiao is not successful with Bradley. But if Pacquiao is successful with Bradley, he has stated that he wants to face Pacquiao."
The Top Rank boss added that Marquez is disinterested in a bout with light welterweight champ Ruslan Provodnikov of Russia who has been openly challenging the Mexican boxer to a match because he stands to lose more if Marquez would be defeated by the young Russian boxer and nothing to gain if he triumphs.
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