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Pacquiao still the priority for Mexican warrior
Juan Manuel Marquez is still gunning for a third fight with Manny Pacquiao.
The three-weight world champion must first see off Juan Diaz in a repeat of the 2009 Fight of the Year in Las Vegas on Saturday, live on Sky Sports HD.
But Marquez admits that another meeting with the Filipinpo phenomenon is high on his agenda having drawn and lost to him in fights he still believes he won.
This will be the Mexican's 57th contest in 17 years as a professional and there is talk of him retiring. But the 36-year-old says he wants one more crack at Pacquiao and the big time - and even opened the door for Ricky Hatton to make a return to the ring.
"Manny Pacquiao, that's my desire, I want it so bad," he said.
"I want that third fight with him before my career ends. And maybe another one would be like Erik Morales or a Ricky Hatton, but Manny Pacquiao for sure."
It would mean moving up from lightweight but Marquez - who's last fight was at welterweight - says that would not be a problem.
It would also give him the chance of becoming the first Mexican fighter to win world titles at four different weights, having already tasted success at featherweight, super-featherweight and lightweight.
"It's very important," he said. "It's definitely something that keeps me going and to become the first Mexican fighter to win in four divisions is a dream come true and it's something in my mind.
"But, right now my concentration is 100 percent on July 31 to defend my titles, my belts, against Juan Diaz and then we'll look forward."
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Both Marquez and Diaz have suffered bad defeats since their classic encounter 17 months ago, being outpointed by a fading Paulie Malignaggi in December and outclassed by Floyd Mayweather Jr in September, respectively.
The champion, who puts his WBA and WBO titles on the line on Saturday, has brushed off that one-sided defeat and says he is in perfect shape to deal with Diaz's aggressive style, thanks to Nacho Beristain's training and a fitness regime that has included drinking his own urine.
"As far as this fight with Juan Diaz, he's going to bring it," he said. "He's trained very well. I'm trained very well and it's going to be a very good fight and like I said it could be even better than the first one.
"I'm not thinking of any way I can be different or do anything differently. I'm coming with everything. I'm not going to be over-confident because I've beaten him, because I've knocked him out. I'm going in just like as it was the first fight, 100 percent ready to take care of business.
"What we are going to do to counter that is we're going to do a great fight up in the ring with a lot of technical boxing, a lot of finesse, a lot of movement and angles and that's how we will counter his aggressiveness.
"But keep in mind, in a fight, it takes two to tango and Juan Diaz deserves all the recognition as well. And, I think, come July 31 when we both bring it, it should be equal if not, better, than the first one."
Would you guys want to see it and who do you think would win?
Juan Manuel Marquez is still gunning for a third fight with Manny Pacquiao.
The three-weight world champion must first see off Juan Diaz in a repeat of the 2009 Fight of the Year in Las Vegas on Saturday, live on Sky Sports HD.
But Marquez admits that another meeting with the Filipinpo phenomenon is high on his agenda having drawn and lost to him in fights he still believes he won.
This will be the Mexican's 57th contest in 17 years as a professional and there is talk of him retiring. But the 36-year-old says he wants one more crack at Pacquiao and the big time - and even opened the door for Ricky Hatton to make a return to the ring.
"Manny Pacquiao, that's my desire, I want it so bad," he said.
"I want that third fight with him before my career ends. And maybe another one would be like Erik Morales or a Ricky Hatton, but Manny Pacquiao for sure."
It would mean moving up from lightweight but Marquez - who's last fight was at welterweight - says that would not be a problem.
It would also give him the chance of becoming the first Mexican fighter to win world titles at four different weights, having already tasted success at featherweight, super-featherweight and lightweight.
"It's very important," he said. "It's definitely something that keeps me going and to become the first Mexican fighter to win in four divisions is a dream come true and it's something in my mind.
"But, right now my concentration is 100 percent on July 31 to defend my titles, my belts, against Juan Diaz and then we'll look forward."
Business
Both Marquez and Diaz have suffered bad defeats since their classic encounter 17 months ago, being outpointed by a fading Paulie Malignaggi in December and outclassed by Floyd Mayweather Jr in September, respectively.
The champion, who puts his WBA and WBO titles on the line on Saturday, has brushed off that one-sided defeat and says he is in perfect shape to deal with Diaz's aggressive style, thanks to Nacho Beristain's training and a fitness regime that has included drinking his own urine.
"As far as this fight with Juan Diaz, he's going to bring it," he said. "He's trained very well. I'm trained very well and it's going to be a very good fight and like I said it could be even better than the first one.
"I'm not thinking of any way I can be different or do anything differently. I'm coming with everything. I'm not going to be over-confident because I've beaten him, because I've knocked him out. I'm going in just like as it was the first fight, 100 percent ready to take care of business.
"What we are going to do to counter that is we're going to do a great fight up in the ring with a lot of technical boxing, a lot of finesse, a lot of movement and angles and that's how we will counter his aggressiveness.
"But keep in mind, in a fight, it takes two to tango and Juan Diaz deserves all the recognition as well. And, I think, come July 31 when we both bring it, it should be equal if not, better, than the first one."
Would you guys want to see it and who do you think would win?
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