Los Angeles: Juan Manuel Marquez’s promoter in Mexico said on Monday that the fighter was pleased with terms for a May 17 fight against Mike Alvarado at the Forum, and has had a change of heart and is open to a fifth fight against Manny Pacquiao.
Marquez (55-7-1, 40 knockouts) told promoter Fernando Beltran he wants to share the Alvarado offer with his wife, and trainer ‘Nacho’ Beristain, to get their input, before he meets again with Beltran on Thursday in Mexico City.
The 40-year-old Marquez, who last fought and lost a split decision to Timothy Bradley in October in Las Vegas, previously said he wasn’t interested in a fifth fight against Pacquiao, who will fight for Bradley’s World Boxing Organisation welterweight belt on April 12 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Yet Beltran said Marquez has reconsidered.
“He wants the challenge of the Bradley-Pacquiao winner, he wants to make history of a fifth world title in five divisions,” said Beltran, referring to a feat never accomplished by a Mexican fighter. “If Pacquiao wins, he’ll have the belt, and Juan wants it.”
Bob Arum, Marquez’s promoter in the US, said he’s “very excited, delighted” by that decision.
First, Marquez would have to deal with the 33-year-old Alvarado (34-2, 23 knockouts), who has engaged in three consecutive fights, splitting bouts against Brandon Rios, then getting knocked out in October by Ruslan Provodnikov.
For Marquez, the bout would also mark a return to the legendary Inglewood arena where he fought 12 times in the late 1990s.
“I have so many fond memories of fights at the Forum, and now they’ve done a great job of renovating it,” Arum said. “LA is such a great boxing market, and now it has one more great place to watch fights again.”
Beltran said Marquez is enthused to return to the venue that formerly was the home of NBA side Los Angeles Lakers and NHL team Los Angeles Kings.
“It’s sensational for him, historical and he’s very excited about returning there at this point in his career,” Beltran said.
Meanwhile, unbeaten US fighter Omar Figueroa will not defend his World Boxing Council lightweight crown on Saturday after injuring his left hand during training, promoters announced on Monday.
The bout was among three title fights scheduled for the undercard of Sunday’s non-title bout between Mexican super welterweights Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez, 42-1-1 with 30 knockouts, and Alfredo Angulo, 22-3 with 18 knockouts.
Figueroa, who suffered the injury on Friday, will not put his title on the line but his scheduled opponent, Canelo’s older brother Ricardo Alvarez, will face Mexico’s Sergio Thompson.
Remaining world title bouts will include Mexico’s unbeaten WBC super bantamweight champion Leo Santa Cruz, 27-0 with one draw and 15 knockouts, against Mexican southpaw Cristian Mijares, 49-7 with two draws and 24 knockouts.
IBF light middleweight champion Carlos Molina, a Mexican who is 22-5 with two draws and six knockouts, also will defend his crown against unbeaten American Jermall Charlo, who has a 17-0 record with 13 knockouts.
