By Rene Umanzor
WBO junior welterweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez has hit back the World Boxing Council and refused to fight for their Diamond title. Last week, WBC President Jose Sulaiman was critical of the boxer's fourth meeting with Manny Pacquiao, scheduled for December 8th at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Sulaiman said the fight had "no importance" and "the only people who care about the fight are from Mexico and the Philippines."
"I refused to fight for the diamond belt. It's worth it if you want to categorized as champion, but being the best of a division is what counts. A championship, whether it's diamond, gold or silver - is not important for me right now. The sanctioning bodies do not make the fighter, the fighter makes the sanctioning body and therefore I believe that Mr. (Sulaiman) is upset because we are not fighting for the title," Marquez said.
"He says the fight lost interest, but in the first day 14,000 tickets were sold, so I do not see how he could say the fight lost interest."
Pacquiao and Marquez will battle for the WBO's "Fighter of The Decade" title.
