PACQUIAO WILLING TO FIGHT MARQUEZ RIGHT AWAY IF MONEY IS GOOD
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 18 Mar 2008
Celebrated trainer Freddie Roach who sometimes moves out of his specialized territory to discuss future fights of Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao says ?if it is worth our while we will fight him (Juan Manuel Marquez) right away.?
Roach was guest on the ?Sports Chat? radio show of Dennis Principe who is a regular analyst on the weekly Viva Sports boxing show ?The Main Event? and hosts the morning broadcast over dzSR Sports Radio.
Roach made the statement when informed that Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schafer had made an immediate $6million offer to Top Rank rival Bob Arum for one more showdown shortly after Pacquiao won a contested split decision over Marquez on Sunday, Manila Time.
Roach said Pacquiao made $5.5 million for the rematch and there was no reason for him to give Marquez a shot at his newly won WBC super featherweight title for an additional $500,000. Roach made it clear ?we want more money than that? stating he was sure that Marquez who reportedly received $1.5 million for the rematch ?will want more money also.?
Roach noted that Arum and Schafer ?will negotiate the fight and if its worth our while we will fight him again right away? although he revealed that a fight against WBC lightweight champion David Diaz will be next. Roach however said a rematch against Marquez before a Diaz title shot was ?not totally out of the question at all. Both guys will want a lot of money for a rematch and if everything is right, lets do it.?
Pacquiao had told Marquez who asked for a title rematch at the end of the bout last Sunday that he was basically not willing, but appeared to be ready to change his stand if he felt the price is right.
Roach wants to fight Diaz who he believes will be a good test for Pacquiao. He said he wanted ?to see how Manny performs.? The trainer disclosed that the reason they were considering moving up to fight Diaz was that Pacquiao ?struggles to make 130.? He claimed that by fight time Sunday, Pacquiao was 146 pounds adding that "he is bigger, he is filling out and he?s more mature.?
He also raised the possibility of Marquez moving up to lightweight should Pacquiao win the title from Diaz. ?At 135 we want to give him that rematch because we felt he (Marquez) deserved it. It was a very close fight.? Roach confessed they will have ?a little bit of trouble with Diaz? because he is a southpaw and they would need to make some adjustments.
Roach noted that Diaz is ?a little bit slower than Manny but he is very durable and is in your face all the time which is a good style for Manny because he likes to exchange. The question is will Manny be able to bring his big punch up to 135. I want to test the waters here and make sure he?s comfortable at that weight and doesn?t lose his speed.?
Asked about having to wear ten ounce gloves if the fight is held in Las Vegas unlike the eight ounce gloves he uses now, Roach said ?when he puts the weight on he will bring the punch up with him. I think it will make him punch a little harder because he wont be so drained because he drains himself to make 130.?
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