By Lem Satterfield
According to an earlier report on BoxingScene.com, WBO and WBA lightweight titlist Juan Manuel Marquez is heavily considering an offer from Manny Pacquiao's promoter, Top Rank Promotions, to face the eight-division champion in a third bout in October.
The contract of the 37-year-old Marquez (52-5-1, 38 knockouts) with rival promoter Golden Boy Promotions ended in February, allowing him to enter negotiations with Top Rank for another bout against the 32-year-old Pacquiao (52-3-2, 38 KOs), this, even as Pacquiao has a May 7 defense of his WBO welterweight title opposite 39-year-old Shane Mosley (46-6-1, 39 KOs) at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
But Golden Boy Promotions' CEO, Richard Schaefer, said that his company still has a stake in the chase to win back Marquez, who battled to a disputed draw and a disputed split-decision loss, respectively, against Pacquiao in May of 2004, and, March 2008.
Schaefer said that Golden Boy Promotions still has a right to make a better offer to Marquez than has Top Rank, and that's something his company is considering.
"We have continued rights with Juan Manuel Marquez which expire at the end of February, 2012. Particularly we have the rights of last refusal. So, under that agreement, Marquez will have to show us the terms and the details of any deal that he gets," said Schaefer.
"We never heard from Marquez anything relating to a third Manny Pacquiao fight. However, Top Rank did forward us a copy of a letter, which they wrote to Juan Manuel Marquez offering him the fight with Manny Pacquiao in October for Pacquiao's 147-pound WBO belt," said Schaefer. "There were specific financial information, of course, such as an advance, guaranteed purse, and upside participation."
Schaefer said that the offer seems to be based on Pacquiao defeating Mosley.
"Obviously, Manny Pacquiao would have to win. And there is, as well, a potential fourth fight contemplated in the offer, so, it seems like Manny Pacquiao's dance card might be full for a while," said Schaefer. "So we did receive that, and it's interesting timing that they would make that offer now and not wait until after the Manny Pacquiao-Shane Mosley fight. I find that to be interesting."
Pacquiao has won 13 straight fights, eight of them by knockout, since being unanimously decisioned by the now, 34-year-old, comebacking, Erik Morales (51-7, 35 KOs) in March of 2005.