Rios Admits To Being a Marquez Fan, as Clash Looms

By Jake Donovan

The suggestion from the April 14 split site pay-per-view card is that we can possibly look forward to a summer showdown between Juan Manuel Marquez and Brandon Rios should both emerge victorious this weekend. Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum is eyeing a July 14 clash at Cowboys Stadium.

Marquez (53-6-1, 39KO) returns to the ring for the first time since his controversial points loss in his third fight with Manny Pacquiao last November. The legendary Mexican boxer takes on Sergey Fedchenko (30-1, 13KO) in Mexico City, while in pursuit of the biggest fights possible in what could very well be the final year of a Hall of Fame career.

While Marquez enjoys a homecoming, Rios (29-0-1, 22KO) will headline the live action taking place at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. The unbeaten lightweight seeks to regain a vacant version of the title he lost at the scales last December as he faces Richard Abril (17-2-1, 8KO), a Cuban export now based out of Miami.

Even in the presence of a pending superfight, Rios still can’t help but be in awe of what Marquez has accomplished in his career. Obviously that admiration that will go away – to a degree - if and when a bell rings for their destined collision, but Rios has no problem admitting that he remains a huge fan.

“There are very fighters who can do what Juan Manuel Marquez does,” Rios insists. “He’s still got it in him, that’s why he’s still fighting. He’s a nice, polite guy. He’s very likeable and gives the fans what they want. He’s not old, he’s still young. He’s a young 38.

“I’m honored to be fighting on the pay-per-view card with him.”

Jake Donovan is the Managing Editor of Boxingscene.com. Follow Jake on Twitter:@JakeNDaBox or submit questions/comments to JakeNDaBox@gmail.com