By Miguel Rivera
Mexico's Juan Manuel Marquez has no interest in stepping away from his weight demand for a potential fight with fellow four division world champion Miguel Angel Cotto of Puerto Rico.
Earlier this week, it was revealed that Roc Nation Sports - who promote Cotto - were going to announce his next opponent in the coming weeks.
As previously reported, the biggest issue to making Cotto vs. Marquez is the weight. Cotto was reportedly requesting a catch-weight of 150-pounds, which Marquez believes is way too much for him. And then Cotto was willing to make it at 149, but Marquez would like to have the fight at no higher than the welterweight limit of 147-pounds.
The Puerto Rican star has been out of the ring since last November, when he lost a twelve round unanimous decision to Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.
Marquez - 42-years-old - has been out of the ring since May of 2014, when he won a twelve round decision over Mike Alvarado at The Forum in Los Angeles. Marquez is considering the possibility of retirement if he's not able to secure the right fight.
"It will happen as long as Cotto makes 147 pounds. I have fought at 147 pounds with Pacquiao. He made 147 and I didn't. I came in at 143 and 144 - which also means that it is not hard for me to make weight and logic says I would be giving away advantages by coming in at 143 or 144 max, giving a three pound advantage. If Cotto makes 147 pounds, it would happen," Marquez told ESPN Deportes a few weeks ago.
"It's very simple (we fight at 147 pounds). Cotto wanted the fight at 150 pounds, and now it seems that they want it at 148, but for me that pound is very important and a pound of making weight is crucial, because it will create more work for him. He will sacrifice more and there is no advantage for me, but it will cost him more work to get down and he will be a little diminished to make weight - but the next day he's going to recover. I know that a difference of one pound of weight can make a difference."
Marquez appeared on Golpe a Golpe and was asked if he was willing to step away from the weight demand, and the Mexican veteran is not even considering the possibility of entertaining anything higher than 147.
Cotto's next fight is going to take place in the junior middleweight division. Although his last few fights had technically taken place at middleweight, he often weighed in under the 154-pound limit for those contests.
