Breaking News: Is Juan Manuel Marquez July 14th fight at Cowboys Stadium off?
By Rich Mazon
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 22 May 2012
It seems that the Juan Manuel Marquez headlined show at Cowboys Stadium this summer is canceled as per sources that are aware of the ongoing negotiations. Top Rank is apparently in disagreement with Marquez?s choice of opponent for the proposed July 14th event in Dallas.
Marquez is reportedly adamant in fighting undefeated Filipino, Mercito Gesta who has long been rumored to be the top candidate to fight the Mexican light welterweight champion. This writer has reported back in February that Gesta is one of Top Rank?s favorite to face Marquez before he face Manny Pacquiao for the fourth time in the fall. ( http://philboxing.com/news/story-66726.html )
Even Arum has stated to this writer and a batch of reporters during the Pacquiao ? Tim Bradley press tour in New York that Marquez vs. Gesta is what is at work for the Dallas show. It was initially planned that Nonito Donaire will co headlined that event as per Arum himself.
But the Donaire plan has since been scrapped and that Top Rank has focused on Marquez as its sole offering for the said event. And that is where the problem lies.
Marquez has stated time and time again that he wanted a southpaw as his next opponent with obvious reasons of preparing him for the inevitable fourth face-off with Pacquiao. Former light welterweight and lefty Zab Judah was considered but reports say that Judah is demanding a large sum of money to fight Marquez.
The name of another Mexican legend has been floated in recent days as a possible foe for Marquez. Erik Morales who just lost to young Danny Garcia last March was an idea that Top Rank liked owing to Morales? marketability. The fight between the two Mexican standouts makes sense because of their popularity and the fact that the two has never fought each other during their heydays in the past. A fight between the two Mexican legends has long been in the missing list in the history of Mexican boxing. It also will sell well in the large Mexican population in Dallas.
But Marquez reportedly has insisted on fighting a southpaw which Morales is not and which Gesta is. Top Rank apparently had a meeting today with that as its top agenda and to try to convince Marquez to fight Morales otherwise. Sources tell me that Marquez has his eyes apparently fixed on the undefeated Gesta and that he has made Top Rank aware of that. Top Rank is apparently not pleased with that choice by Marquez prompting them to cancel the Dallas event for now.
That leaves Juan Manuel Marquez without a fight and Mercito Gesta in limbo. Gesta who has been wanting that fight has already been in training in San Diego preparing himself just weeks after his knockout win over Colombian, Oscar Cuero.
Team Gesta has already made plans for training camp two weeks ago. They plan to train at the mountains of Big Bear in California and have made arrangements to spend the bulk of their training days there. They have been anxiously waiting for that confirmation to fight Marquez which has been suggested to them as early as February by Top Rank. It seems that they will have to re-arrange their plans because of this news.
Stay tune for more developments on this story.
You can reach the author at rrmaze24@aol.com for any reaction to this piece.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Rich Mazon .
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