SACRAMENTO, California—The green light only if there are more bucks.
That would be Juan Manuel Marquez’s story and he’d be sticking to it.
The top handler of Marquez is adamant in saying that should the Mexican warrior agree to a fifth fight with his ring doppelganger Manny Pacquiao, he would be a tougher negotiator, purse wise.
His mantra will be more moolah required.
Show me more money, honey.
The 40-year-old Marquez won by unanimous decision over Mike Alvarado on May 17. The fight recharged his career and presented the opportunity for the Mexican legend to become the first fighter from south of the United States border to win world championships in five weight divisions.
He can only earn that fifth title if he fights and takes the 36-year-old Pacquiao’s world welterweight belt, possibly in Macau in the fall.
But naturally, Marquez (56-7-1, 40 knockouts) would like to make sure he earns a prettier penny this time around.
Prior to Marquez agreeing to face Pacquiao (56-5-2, 38 KOs)—boxing’s only eight-division world champion—again, he will have to get ready for the negotiating table.
Marquez is 1-2-1 against the fighting Filipino congressman. It had been reported that for their most recent encounter in late 2012, Marquez got a $6-million guarantee to Pacquiao’s $20 million.
But that fight came with an added premium for Marquez. Since he won the fight with a paralyzing knockout shot in the sixth round, Juan Manuel won’t be happy with another purse disparity this time around.
Ignacio Beristain, Marquez’s trainer and longtime manager says prefight meetings for another bout in the Juan Manuel-Manny series will be a rumble.
It will be hard, to say the least, Beristain intimated to boxing writers recently. When asked whether Marquez will demand a 50-50 split, the trainer said everything depended on his famous fighter.
Beristain is personally against Marquez fighting Pacquiao again. But then he is not Marquez who will make the final decision, if he hasn’t already.
Top Rank’s top honcho Bob Arum, who would promote the match between two of his fighters told the Los Angeles Times: “All negotiations are difficult, but we do know each other well, and our history is to find a solution.”
Should Pacquiao-Marquez 5 occur, it would whet the appetite of fight fans, most specially Filipino and Mexican diehards, pay per view’s loyal customers—for one of boxing’s historic rivalries.
Back in the day when boxing was at its zenith, two of the game’s greatest fighters—Jake LaMotta and Sugar Ray Robinson—fought six fights over a span of nine years.
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There are indeed Filipinos in every corner of the world.
The 12th man for the Azkals in their quest to win the AFC Challenge Cup is a gallery composed of from 200 to 300 Filipinos working in different resort hotels in the Maldives.
Inquirer scribe Cedelf Tupas reports from the Maldivian capital Male that the Pinoys are cheering themselves to hoarseness for the Azkals.
By the time you read this, the Azkals would have played host Maldives for a spot in the finals of the tournament that offers a ticket to the AFC Asian Cup in Australia next year.