Manny Pacquiao is said to want Juan Manuel Marquez rematch
Manny Pacquiao’s promoter said Monday that the Filipino superstar prefers a fourth fight against Juan Manuel Marquez to a super-fight against Floyd Mayweather Jr.
“That fight [Mayweather] can still be there for us in November [2012],” Bob Arum told The Times.
That position brought a strong reaction from rival promoter and former fighter Oscar De La Hoya, who helps promote Mayweather and said the 42-0 welterweight champion has already reserved May 5 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas for boxing’s dream fight.
“I say to Manny, fighter to fighter, ‘Step it up, tell Arum what you want,’ ” De La Hoya said. “You’re the fighter. You’re a congressman. You call the shots here and decide who you’re going to fight.”
De La Hoya said he’s confident Mayweather wants the mega-bout. De La Hoya said he has spoken to Mayweather’s advisor and manager, Al Haymon, and received further assurance.
However, Arum said Pacquiao agrees his narrow and controversial majority decision over Marquez on Saturday at the MGM Grand “did not have the finish he wanted.” That, he added, justified a fourth fight between the combatants.
Pacquiao, 32, and Marquez, 38, previously fought to a draw in 2004 and a split decision won by Pacquiao in 2008.
Arum said he’ll stage Pacquiao-Marquez IV in April or June, either at Cowboys Stadium in Dallas or a specially constructed outdoor venue in Las Vegas.
“We know who doesn’t want the big fight now,” De La Hoya said. “And his name is Bob Arum.”
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