Periban Eyes Sakio Bika Rematch With Win Over Love

By Ryan Burton

MGM Grand, LAS VEGAS, NV - On Saturday evening Marco Antonio Periban will face J'Leon Love on the televised pay-per-view undercard that supports the Floyd Mayweather-Marcos Maidana main event.  Love is promoted by Mayweather and managed by powerful adviser/manager Al Haymon but  that doesn't phase Periban who is no stranger to being the "B" side against fighters underneath the Mayweather and Haymon umbrella. 

Last September he battled Mayweather Promotions' fighter Badou Jack to a draw and in June he lost a close majority decision to Sakio Bika who is advised by Haymon.  Periban is happy for the opportunity to be on the big stage again and is confident that a win over Love will lead to a rematch against Bika who holds the WBC super middleweight title.

"I feel great.  I am happy to be part of this big event.  This is a great opportunity for my career.  I want a rematch against Sakio Bika and a win over Love will give me that chance," said Periban who claimed that he didn't even spar for the draw against Jack.

"Unfortunately the training for the fight against Badou Jack was horrible.  The truth is I didn't have any sparring.  I didn't have any one to spar for that fight so that was a bad experience.  I still think I should have won by split decision but we learned from it and we had great training camp for this fight."

The 29-year-old Periban revealed that he ran into Bika on Wednesday evening and that they spoke about the Mexican's upcoming fight.  He said that Bika told him he was rooting for him and that he hoped they would have a rematch afterwards.

"I ran into Bika at an event and he said that he was supporting me and that he hopes that I leave the ring with my hand raised so that we can have a rematch," Periban told BoxingScene.com.

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