Arum shrugs off Marquez demands


MANILA, Philippines — Still smarting from the close decision defeat to Manny Pacquiao last Nov. 12 in Las Vegas, Juan Manuel Marquez came out firing last week, bragging that the ball is in his court and that he will insist for Mexico City as the venue of the proposed fourth fight with Pacquiao in May 2012.

“Let him talk,” Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum told the Bulletin recently, stressing that he doesn’t envision bringing the fight over there.
Marquez now feels that he deserves to make demands following his impressive showing against Pacquiao at the MGM Grand.
But since Pacquiao was awarded the victory, a 12-round majority decision, Marquez doesn’t have the right to call the shots for the simple reason that the Filipino is not even mandated to give him a rematch based on the contract that they both signed.
A fourth fight will only be made in the event of a Marquez victory as per the agreement in the contract.
However, Marquez, 38, believes that he is deserving of another chance owing to his latest performance that surprised many in the boxing world.
Still, what’s in store for Pacquiao remains a mystery at this point.
Canadian adviser Mike Koncz revealed that his boss doesn’t intend to discuss their next move until after the holidays although the fighter was quoted as saying last Thursday that negotiations have commenced for a lucrative showdown with Floyd Mayweather.
Team Pacquiao is divisive on the issue of what move to be taken next.
A lot of them are pushing for a fight with Mayweather, while there are those who wouldn’t mind seeing the 32-year-old Pacquiao slug it out again with the counter-punching Marquez.

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