Marquez open to exhibition fight vs Morales

FILE – In this Dec. 8, 2012, file photo, Juan Manuel Marquez, of Mexico, celebrates his win over Manny Pacquiao in a WBO world welterweight fight, in Las Vegas. Marquez was elected to the International Boxing Hall of Fame, Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2019. (AP Photo/Eric Jamison, File)

MANILA, Philippines—It seems that boxing legends have been itching for return fights, albeit in a more relaxed environment.

Former undisputed heavyweight champions Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield have been training for months with speculations that the two icons will square off for a third time.

This time, it’s Mexican legends Juan Manuel Marquez and Erik Morales–both of whom are four-division world champions–who are teasing for comeback bouts.

Marquez said that he’d be willing to fight Morales once an offer is presented to him.

“For me, it would be to my liking to do an exhibition,” said Marquez in an interview with ESPN Deportes as posted on boxingscene.com.

The two have traded verbal jabs over the past month stemming from their clashes with Filipino icon Manny Pacquiao, and Marquez claiming that Morales ducked him during their primes.

Morales, though, claimed that it was Marquez who refused a fight while taking other proposals in 2011 and 2012.

Marquez added that he’d gladly train for a scrap against Morales and he’d do so with former trainer and Hall of Fame mentor Nacho Beristain.

“I would take [Morales] as an exhibition fight. You have to take the positive and the negative of doing that. I would like it. If I trained for this I would do it at one hundred percent. If you could do it, why not?,” said Marquez.