By Miguel Rivera
Former four division world champion Juan Manuel Marquez refuses to say goodbye to boxing. Marquez has revealed that earlier this week he resumed conditioning sessions with ring return tentatively targeted for 2017.
Marquez wants to have a farewell fight, as long as his body responds as he expects in training camp.
Marquez (56-7-1, 40KOs), 43-years-old, has been inactive since a May 2014 decision victory over Mike Alvarado at the Forum in Los Angeles, California. Several returns dates have been discussed, but they never came together. The veteran had been dealing with a bad knee for over a year.
Marquez went through his first week of training with strength and conditioning coach Memo Heredia and he feels physically good. He plans to train until December and once the physical work is constant, he will decide what to do in terms of a 2017 fight.
"We've been working out in the gym with Memo, more fitness than anything else. The body is responding well, but I will not make the decision to return until I've been training on a consistent basis and I'll see what my body tells me," Marquez said on Golpe a Golpe.
For several weeks, Marquez was in talks to face fellow former four division champion Miguel Cotto of Puerto Rico. The two sides were unable to agree to a catch-weight and eventually broke off negotiations.
Many, including Marquez's trainer Nacho Beristain, believed he was going to retire. He admits the "itch" of fighting again continues to creep up his spine.
"I felt good [after training], but let's see how how the body responds when I have to go to the gym and I have to train every day. When we double up the sessions, six to eight hours of work, then we'll decide what comes - but we want to make that [farewell] fight," Marquez said.
