By: James Blears
The game plan could almost read like a Mexican round robin. The seeds were sown by the Barrera V Morales trilogy, but now threaten to grow narrowly out of proportion, withering rosy options for outsiders.
The principal victim in the medium to long term issue, could easily be Manny Pacquiao. After proving himself so much, much more than just a thorn in the side, by pummeling Marco Antonio Barrera in eleven lop sided rounds, a re-match would have netted Manny even more money, while Marco would have had an opportunity to back up the claim that he’d suffered a rare and one off bad night.
Instead the men in the suits with the money, arranged for the third chapter of an all Mexican Vendetta. And very profitable at the box office it proved.
Now WBA and IBF Featherweight Champion and fellow Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez is also keen to take a leaf out of this book. Momentarily daring to look past his February 26th clash with Manny, Juan Manuel has just confided that, confident of boxing his way to victory, his favored next opponent for real big time pay, would be none other than Marco.
Pressed about their great friendship, stretching back over years, Marquez replied that will remain intact whatever, but business is business and it makes perfect financial sense for two exciting Mexican fighters to thrill crowds with an all Latino clash.
Super Bantamweight WBC Champion Oscar Larrios, has an almost identical philosophy. He says he’d like to win other versions of the title, particularly against countryman and IBF Champion Israel Vazquez. But given the choice, he’d prefer to move up and take on Marco. While Erik Morales’ plans to move up to lightweight, would probably put him out of immediate reach.
Still stinging from his defeat against Marco in a thrilling third battle, Erik has already laid down the gauntlet for Marco. But he’s unlikely to get the satisfaction he craves. Prior to number three, Erik had plainly stated that Marco, with his recent record and his hammering by Manny, simply didn’t deserve another title chance. And HE Erik would have much preferred to fight Manny. This decision was taken out of his hands.
Marco is still staying coy about his plans. He’s confirmed he’ll probably be fighting again in April, but has shown little interest in overtures from the camp of WBO Featherweight Champion Scott Harrison, from Scotland. WBC Featherweight Champion Injin Chi of Korea is emerging as an attractive next opponent for Marco, but Erik has already defeated him, and Chi can’t normally throw around as much leather venom as various Latino sluggers.
Marco has said he thinks Juan Manuel Marquez will overcome Manny Pacquiao in the re-match, and if this did happen, then there would be very little point in him fighting Manny again.
Marco has said he does NOT want a fourth fight against Erik, but would this not make logical business sense after a pause rather than a long interval? After all how many times did Sugar Ray Robinson and Jake La Motta fight, before Ray became the Best Man at one of Jake’s weddings?
Manny is inked to fight Erik Morales probably in July, if he defeats Juan Manuel Marquez, but obviously as Erik mentions, he would have preferred this fight to have happened a lot earlier. Erik says he’s in a mighty hurry to move up to lightweight.
Much depends on who will defeat who, and also on what bust up is going to draw the most dollars. But it does augur which way the wind could be blowing.
These divisions, plus the Bantamweight limit with Rafael Marquez- IBF Champion and Julio Zarate- WBA Champion, do display an embarrassment of Mexican riches. But surely some the jeweled fists elsewhere also deserve an easier path than they’re currently getting in their worthy attempts for a crack at the crowns?
