The president of the worlds’s most prestigious boxing body, the World Boxing Organization (WBO), has remained confident that a fourth fight between two of his champions Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez will take place this year.
Pacquiao and Marquez battled to a see-saw war last November in their third meeting, with the Filipino boxing icon eking out a hairline majority decision, which had the boxing world deeply divided on who truly won the bout.
Pacquiao (54-3, 38 KOs) is seeking a possible clash with undefeated Floyd Mayweather Jr. for his next fight, although that was dashed after the American fighter was sentenced to a three-month incarceration for beating up his girlfriend.
Marquez (53-6, 39 KOs) has informed the media that it is going to be Manny Pacquiao for his next fight, otherwise, he will seek retirement noting that no other fight interests him at this point in his career.
Pacquiao holds the WBO’s 147-lb title, while Marquez owns the WBO’s belt at 135 lbs. They battled in November at a catch weight of 144 lbs.
“Whether it takes place in May or November of 2012, I guarantee that Juan Manuel Marquez will get his fourth fight against Manny Pacquiao,” said Francisco Valcárcel in an interview with Boxingscene.com.
Marquez has indicated he would like to face Pacquiao on May 5th for theCinco De Mayo weekend, but has crossed out Las Vegas as a possible venue. He said a fight in Mexico or in a neutral venue in Texas is the better choice.