Pacquiao ‘not chasing Marquez’

Rep. Manny Pacquiao

Manny Pacquiao will not chase after Juan Manuel Marquez if the Mexican chooses to run away from a fifth fight.

“If (we cannot get a fight with) Marquez, then we’ll look for a better opponent,” lawyer Franklin Gacal, Pacquiao’s legal adviser, told the Inquirer yesterday.

Gacal was reacting to reports that Marquez, who sneaked in a right straight that knocked out Pacquiao cold in the sixth round last Dec. 8, doesn’t want another showdown with his two-time tormentor.

If Marquez doesn’t change his mind soon, Gacal said Team Pacquiao will consider other capable opponents, especially Floyd Mayweather Jr.

“We’re willing to sit down with the camp of Mayweather (if he’s interested),” said Gacal, who added that Marquez’s refusal to fight Pacquiao again could only mean that the Mexican is “scared” of the possible “conditions” the Filipino camp might include in the fight contract.

Gacal said that, for one, they will require random drug testing before and after the fifth bout that could rival Pacquiao-Mayweather in magnitude and drawing power.

The lawyer also said they do not care if Marquez, in saying there’s no point doing a fifth fight, is sending a message that he should be on top of the negotiations.

Pacquiao, Gacal insists, is the main draw and therefore should dictate the terms.

In Pacquiao-Marquez 4, held at MGM Grand in Las Vegas, the Mexican was guaranteed $6 million against Pacquiao’s $23 million.

While his devastating win over Pacquiao may have boosted Marquez’s paycheck, he would be lucky to get a 60-40 deal with the eight-division world champion, whose chances of squeezing through a fight in April get slimmer by the day.

“Well, he (Pacquiao) can live with that,” said Gacal. “If ever there’s no April fight, then we’ll wait for September.”

He remains hopeful, though, that Marquez would be Pacquiao’s next fight.