Boxing News: Manny Pacquiao Could End Up Facing Juan Manuel Marquez or Lucas Matthysse
Top Rank Promotions CEO Bob Arum revealed that Manny Pacquiao could also face either Juan Manuel Marquez or Lucas Matthysse in his comeback fight next year.
Arum told BoxingScene that British boxer Amir Khan is still on top of their list of possible opponents in early 2016 alongside Terence Crawford and Kell Brook.
However, the veteran promoter also added that they are now considering Marquez and Matthysse for Pacquiao's next fight, which will likely happen in the first quarter of next year.
"There is a possibility now with Lucas Matthysse and finally we have to see whether Marquez is retired of if he's going to come back," Arum said. "We're going to give him the opportunity to see what he's going to do."
Matthysse is an intriguing pick as the Argentine is coming off a big victory against former world champion Ruslan Provodnikov during their action-packed bout in April. The 32-year-old is set to face Viktor Postol in October.
On the other hand, Marquez is no stranger to boxing fans, as he has already faced Pacquiao four times before. The first fight ended in a draw before Pacquiao won the next two fights. Marquez holds the bragging rights, though, after he knocked Pacquiao out cold during the sixth round of their fight in December 2012.
Marquez, who holds a 56-7-1 record with 40 knockout victories, has not fought since scoring a unanimous decision win against Mike Alvarado in May last year. The veteran boxer sustained a knee injury during the fight, which prevented him from performing boxing-related activities.
Most fans thought that Marquez, who is already 42 years old, will retire, but strength and conditioning coach Angel Heredia recently told BoxingScene that "Dinamita" wants two more bouts before finally calling it quits.
"It looks like Marquez will return in December likely in Mexico and then fight in May in the United States," Heredia said.
However, it appears that Pacquiao is not an option for Marquez's camp. Trainer Nacho Beristain said in a recent interview that Marquez will fight a world champion because he is determined to become a five-time world champion in as many divisions.
Beristain said that if he will have it his way, he wants Marquez to face either International Boxing Federation welterweight champion Kell Brook or World Boxing Organization welterweight kingpin Timothy Bradley.
"If he returns, I think it should be for a championship," Beristain said. "I think it doesn't matter to him whether it's Tim Bradley or Kell Brook, but for me Brook is better, but that would have to be in the United States because I would not like to go to England."
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