By Robert Morales
Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer told BoxingScene.com that although he has seen reports out of Mexico claiming Juan Manuel Marquez is leaning toward defending his lightweight belts against Michael Katsidis, he doesn't know for certain that is the case.
Marquez has been on vacation with his family, and Schaefer said he expects to sit down with him this week or next to see where Marquez's head is; if Marquez does not fight Katsidis, he will be stripped of his WBO belt.
Schaefer said if Marquez decides to fight Katsidis, he will proceed in making the fight. He said if Marquez wants to move back up in weight and challenge Amir Khan for his 140-pound belt in an effort to become the first Mexican to win titles in four weight classes, he will embark on securing it.
Schaefer, when asked, also discussed the heat Khan has taken for possibly fighting the smaller Marquez instead of getting into the ring with one of his fellow junior welterweight champions - including interim champion Marcos Maidana.
Schaefer first went the way of Khan's recent 11th-round TKO of Paulie Malignaggi, saying Malignaggi was one of the best junior welterweights out there. But, some would say, Malignaggi couldn't crack, so he was not dangerous. Timothy Bradley, Devon Alexander and the heavy-hitting Maidana would seem to pose more of a threat. Lest we forget that Khan's only loss was by first-round knockout to Breidis Prescott two years ago.
Just getting warmed up on the subject, Schaefer said those unification fights everyone wants to see will take place.
"I think all of these fights are going to happen," Schaefer said to BoxingScene. "Sometimes people just need to have a little patience."
If Marquez chooses to defend against Katsidis, Schaefer said he will try and make Khan against either Maidana or Victor Ortiz, both of whom are also promoted by Golden Boy.
"What's wrong with that?" Schaefer said. "If Bradley and Alexander are going to fight each other, then it is just a matter of time that within the next year Khan will be fighting the winner of that fight. Or maybe Marquez fighting the winner."
Schaefer scoffed at the notion that Khan should be hammered for taking on Marquez, who may be smaller, but still resides in every respectable pound-for-pound poll.
"If Marquez wants to make history and move up and fight for the title in the fourth weight class, I don't think it's fair to really blame Khan for obliging that," said Schaefer, who said Marquez is the fighter Khan wants next. "The fact is Juan Manuel is (high) on everybody's pound-for-pound list and is clearly as credible an opponent as those other guys.
"Bradley is very good, Alexander is very good. But so is Juan Manuel Marquez. So before people judge Amir, again, fighting Juan Manuel Marquez, if anyone thinks that is an easy fight, then they don't understand that much."
