Sulaiman: "Marquez Must Face Pacquiao Next!"

By James Blears

World Boxing Council President Jose Sulaiman says that newly crowned Super Featherweight Champion Juan Manuel Marquez will fight Manny Pacquiao, next, before any re-match with fellow countryman Marco Antonio Barrera.

Juan Manuel and Marco fought a thrilling high octane slugfest, which is already being touted as a candidate for Fight of the Year. And Juan Manuel now follows in the glove prints of younger brother Rafael, who’s just seized the WBC’s Super Bantamweight title by a nose, from hard hitting fellow Mexican Israel Vazquez.

Both Marquez brothers hit the canvass hard, but both also got up to fight on to memorable victories.

So what happens next with Juan Manuel?

Golden Boy Promotions have already announced that HBO has set aside September 16th as a possible re-match for JMM and Barrera. But,  Manny Pacquiao is the number one challenger and Don Jose stated: “Rules are rules, and definitely state that there must be a mandatory defense, and we are going to push for that. The next fight for Juan Manuel Marquez will be against Manny Paquiao, if Manny defeates Jorge Solis.

“Golden Boy is doing well by trying to have a fight that will attract the people. But you know Pacquiao is also a very attractive fight, and the WBC will support the (Marquez V Barrera) rematch, but first, we have to defend the rules.”

There is also another little wrinkle to be cold ironed out. Don Jose explained that Juan Manuel has two weeks to make up his mind, about which championship he wants to retain. Juan, who’s now the worthy holder of the WBC Super Featherweight title, is also recognized as the WBO Featherweight Champion. Both are rival organizations, and so something will have to give.

Concerning the controversy of the seventh round knockdown with Referee Jay Nady choosing to deduct a point from Marco rather than disqualify him, for hitting Juan Manuel while he was on the canvass, Don Jose said that Nady had acted within the spirit of the law, rather than by its letter.

Nady completely missed the knockdown,  which came courtesy of a hard straight power driving right from a groggy Marco, and Don Jose said it was because he was too far away from the toe to toe action. Don Jose added: “It was an honest mistake, because Jay Nady is a good man.”

However he wasn’t anywhere near so charitable about the scoring of the fight, which has been widely criticized as far of the mark.

Don Jose said: “I believe that it was a very close fight and I’d have given it to Marquez by not more than two points. The margin was very, very wrong and I don’t think that they (the judges) were competent enough for a fight of this nature. And I told that to the Commission. (The Nevada State Boxing Commission)