MANILA, Philippines – Mexican champion Juan Manuel Marquez has again rejected a fifth fight against Filipino rival Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao, setting his sights instead against another opponent.
Marquez, who beat Pacquiao for the first time in four tries when they fought last December, will be watching undefeated American Timothy Bradley Jr. when he fights Russian Ruslan Provodnikov on March 16 in California.
“Bradley won a controversial decision over Pacquiao, but that does not take into account that he is a good fighter,” Marquez told Boxing Scene, referring to Bradley’s hotly contested split decision win over the Filipino in June 2012.
Marquez said that while “nothing has been finalized,” a fifth fight against the Pacman would be “the last option” for him.
“There is no fight to have a fifth fight with Pacquiao,” he stressed. “We already accomplished that objective.”
Marquez knocked out Pacquiao with just one second left in the sixth round when they fought last December, in a match that has been hailed by many as the best of 2012.
Top Rank Promotions has repeatedly pushed for a fifth fight against Pacquiao, with chief executive Bob Arum even saying Marquez will receive a career-high purse for that fight.
source: abs-cbnnews.com
