By Lem Satterfield
Top Rank Promotions CEO Bob Arum told BoxingScene.com moments ago that he expects WBA and WBO lightweight king Juan Manuel Marquez to give his official signature on Wednesday morning accepting a third fight with eight-division titlist Manny Pacquiao, whose adviser, Michael Koncz, Arum will meet with on Wednesday night to go over in an attempt to finalize the details.
In May of 2004, and, again in March of 2008, Marquez (52-5-1, 38 KOs) battled through a draw, and, a split-decision loss, respectively, against Pacquiao (53-3-2, 38 KOs), this, despite Marquez' being floored three times in the first round of their initial clash, and, once more, in their second meeting.
The first bout was contested for the WBA and IBF featheweight belts, and the second, for the WBC super featherweight crown.
"We expect that Marquez will sign today. They went over everything with his lawyers and so forth, which is a process, because we want to make sure that it's in Spanish and all of that sort of stuff," said Arum, who completed his deal in principal with the Marquez on Tuesday in Los Angeles. "We think that everything is fine, and that he should be signing this morning. It will be probably in Las Vegas at the MGM."
If everything is finalized, Arum said that Pacquiao-Marquez III will be televised on pay-per-view either on Showtime or HBO on Nov. 12 from the MGM, this, after Showtime pay per view broadcast Pacquiao-Mosley for the first time in the careers of either fighter.
After speaking with Arum, Koncz told BoxingScene.com that he will leave Los Angeles and fly over to the Philippines to review the the details with Pacquiao.
But Arum believes Koncz will be fine with the details of the fight.
"We've briefed Michael, and we've kept him informed," said Arum. "I believe that he is pleased with everything that has gone down."
Arum was cited by Lance Pugmire of The Los Angeles Times as having met on Monday with Marquez's previous promoter and Golden Boy CEO, Richard Schaefer, "on various issues."
"They [Golden Boy] released their objections … we have to adjust certain things. I'm not permitted to go into details," Arum told Pugmire regarding his promotional arch rival, with whom Top Rank has been ununable to stage bouts, instead, having engaged in contentious and sometimes legal battles over Pacquiao and other fighters.
But Arum said Monday's meeting ended "in a burst of goodwill, with handshakes," adding that there is the potential for Top Rank and Golden Boy Promotions to work together in the future.
"A lot of stuff that has gone down, and I can not talk about it," said Arum. "There's a confidentiality provision. This is just part of it."
Pacquiao, who turns 33 in December, is coming off of a May 7, unanimous decision in defense of his WBO belt against 39-year-old, five-time titlist Shane Mosley (46-7-1, 39 KOs) at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas that was his 14th straight win with eight knockouts during that run.
Marquez, who ho turns 38 in August, rose from a third-round knockdown to score November's ninth-round knockout of former interim titlist Michael Katsidis (27-4, 22 KOs) at the MGM.
Pacquiao-Marquez III will take place at a catch-weight of 144-pounds.
Like Mosley, Marquez will receive a guaranteed of $5 million plus $5 per home after 850,000 pay-per-view buys. If Marquez wins, the Mexican veteran is guaranteed $10 million dollars for a fourth fight.
Top Rank's proposal to Marquez apparently out-did any that could come from Golden Boy, and, in doing so, win the promotional rights to Pacquiao-Marquez III. Golden Boy Promotions had the right to match it through February 2012.
Marquez's partipation in the trilogy is contingent on his winning a July 2 clash in Mexico City opposite 34-year-old, former lightweight titlist David Diaz (36-3-1, 17 KOs), whom Pacquiao dethroned as WBC lightweight champion by ninth-round knockout in June of 2008.
Koncz told BoxingScene.com recently that Pacquiao still has to sign off on several important items related to the fight, including his purse.
"I don't really want to put any undo pressure on Manny. I'll sit down with Bob Arum over the next few days and discuss the details, and then go to Manny, and then Manny will give me the marching orders," said Koncz.
"It's very simple. I'll sit down with Bob, discuss the purse, and so forth," said Koncz, "and then I'll present it to Manny when I get to the Philippines on Sunday. But we're in no rush."
Koncz also believes that Marquez could, yet again, be among the most difficult opponents Pacquiao will face.
"I think that it will be controversial. In fact, I think that if we fight Juan Manuel Marquez 20 times that it will always end in controversy 20 times...Juan Manuel Marquez, for some reason, has Manny figured out," said Koncz.
"Manny has fought him twice now to a draw and to a split-decision. He's knocked him down four times. But it's been shown that if you knock the guy down that many times, he's still very resilient," said Koncz. "And he gets back up and he's got Manny figured out. So I think that it's a very difficult fight and that's why I need to make certain that the financial rewards for Manny are valid enough to take that fight."