Manny Pacquiao Next Fight 2014: Should PacMan Face Juan Manuel Marquez Again? [Poll]
Rumors are circling on who boxing champ Manny Pacquaio will face next in the ring. But the favorite among the options is Mexican boxer Juan Manuel Marquez, the fighter who knocked out Pacquiao during the sixth round of their fight last December 2012.
Sports analysts say the fifth face-off between the two boxers is still not sure as the 40-year-old Marquez has not yet agreed to fight the 35-year-old Filipino boxer, the International Business Times reported. Marquez has recently won his match against American boxer Mike Alvarado, while Pacquiao defeated Timothy Bradley via unanimous decision in Las Vegas, Nevada, last April 12.
Top Rank CEO Bob Arum told World Boxing News that Pacquiao has a number of options for his November fight. "We will announce on June 22 who he will be going against," Arum added.
However, the camp of Marquez has expressed opposition on the plan to let the Mexican fighter fight Pacquiao again for the fifth time. Nacho Beristain told International Business Times that Marquez has "nothing left to prove" against Pacquiao whom he knocked out during an early sixth round victory.
Beristain also told Boxing Scene that he will do everything possible to prevent a fifth clash between Pacquiao and Marquez.
But many boxing fans and analysts believe that the two still have unfinished business inside the ring. The International Business Times reported that another fight with Marquez is a chance for Pacquiao to regain his title as boxing's top pound-for-pound fighter, a step behind the undefeated Floyd Mayweather.
Pacquiao's trainer Freddie Roach mentioned to Boxing Scene that the rematch is something he likes and anticipates.
"I thought Marquez looked good during his last fight with Alvarado. He fought well. He looked a lot stronger than he did in his last fight but I don't hear any negotiations going on about that fight," Roach noted.
If this is the case, Arum said that there are still a lot of options for the Filipino champ, including Russian boxer Ruslan Provodnikov and Carlos Abreu from the Dominican Republic.
The Top Rank CEO also expressed that Golden Boy Promotion's and undefeated boxer Danny Garcia is also included in the list of fighters to face Pacquiao. To face Garcia, Pacquiao will have to trim his weight to 140 pounds, the International Business Times reported.
The Filipino boxer's fight in November is scheduled to be held in Macau, China, the same place where Pacquiao outclassed American boxer Brandon Rios in November 2013.
So, do you think Pacquiao and Marquez should faceeach other agian for the fifth time? Let us know your thoughts below!