WBO head wants Pacquiao vs Marquez 4

Monday, January 2, 2012

CEBU CITY -- The epic rivalry between pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao and Mexican superstar Juan Manuel Marquez hasn’t been sealed after their third fight ended in yet another controversy.

And WBO president Francisco Valcarcel wants a fourth bout to settle the score between the two, whose last bout for the WBO welterweight title ended in a majority decision win for Pacquiao.

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“Whether it takes place in May or November 2012, I guarantee that Marquez will get his fourth fight against Pacquiao,” Valcarcel told Boxing Scene.

Pacquiao is the reigning WBO welterweight titlist, while Marquez holds the lightweight version.

With Floyd Mayweather Jr. set to start his 90-day prison term, Pacquiao may need another opponent for his fight in the first half of 2012.

Pacquiao, 33, has lined up a few names of his possible opponents for his next fight in the absence of Mayweather Jr., who should have been his opponent in May.

Other options

Among the chosen few on the list are the 39-year-old Marquez, International Boxing Federation and World Boxing Association (WBA) light welterweight champion Lamont Peterson, WBO light welterweight king Timothy Bradley, and WBA light middleweight titleholder Miguel Cotto.

If Marquez lands another shot at Pacquiao, who defeated him twice in razor-thin fashion, the Mexican future hall-of-famer believes that he has to dictate the terms of the fight.

“The fight can’t happen in Las Vegas. I’ve won three fights and they didn’t give me (the win). It has to do with the money, they won’t let me beat him. I hope the fight is made on May 5, for better support (of the event). I don’t think Pacquiao is afraid of me. He is a great fighter. I hope that he, and his people, will accept the contest for the good of boxing,” said Marquez.

In their first meeting in 2004, Marquez kept both his WBA and International Boxing Federation featherweight crowns with the fight ending in a split draw.

The rematch in 2008 was as close as the first, with Pacquiao getting the split decision nod and Marquez’s World Boxing Council super featherweight belt.

The third, this year, was no different than the previous two with Pacquiao winning the fight in a highly-unpopular majority decision.