By Rick Reeno
Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer is ready to satisfy the championship wishes of former multi-division beltholder Rafael Marquez, who recently signed a four fight agreement with his company.
Marquez (41-8, 37KOs) wants to get title shot in the near future, and the veteran is also interested in facing Leo Santa Cruz (24-0, 14KOs). If Santa Cruz defeats WBC super bantamweight champion Victor Terrazas on August 24th - then a fight between Marquez and Santa Cruz might become a reality in the fall.
Marquez returns on September 6th against Efrain Esquivias (16-2-1, 9Kos) at Fantasy Springs in Indio, California.
"We signed Rafael Marquez because he's one of the biggest names in the sport. He was a very popular champion. He's a veteran and we believe that he still has a few good fights left in him. He rededicated himself. He is back with [trainer] Nacho Beritstain. I think definitely he will be in a world title fight," Schaefer told BoxingScene.com.
"The first fight back will be a get the rust off kind of fight, a stay sharp kind of fight. If that all goes well, I can definitely see him fighting Leo Santa Cruz, assuming he wins his fight [with Terrazas]. And that's a fight that I would target that for sometime in November, December. Rafael said that's what he would like to do and that's another barnburner."
"Rafael Marquez is never in a bad fight and he's been in a few "Fight of The Year" fights. And Leo Santa Cruz is the biggest volume puncher in the sport. That would definitely be another barnburner and I can see that being another sellout at the Carson facility in Los Angeles.