Marquez: "I’ll fight Pacquiao in any weight class"

By Roy Luarca

HOLLYWOOD— Juan Manuel Marquez, beaten but unbowed, will follow tormentor Manny Pacquiao in any weight division just to forge a Pacquiao-Marquez III.

“I’ll fight him (Pacquiao) in whatever weight he wants to fight,” Marquez told the Mexican sports daily Esto upon his arrival in Mexico City Sunday night.

Marquez’s comments came on the heels of a statement from American trainer Freddie Roach that the Mexican’s best shot at a rematch —and another world title— will be at the lightweight ranks.

“He (Pacquiao) told me he’s having problems making 130 and he wants to move up to 135,” Roach told GMA 7 on Monday. “We’d like to win the title at 135 and if he (Marquez) wants to challenge us at 135 then let’s do it that way.”

No problem, Marquez says, adding that he’ll follow Pacquiao in any weight class.

Insisting that he won their rematch, Marquez said he deserves another crack at the Filipino ring superstar who wrested his World Boxing Council super featherweight crown by split decision in Las Vegas Saturday (Sunday in Manila).

“In the first fight he knocked me down three times and they (judges) gave me a tie,” said Marquez. “Now he downed me only once and they made me lose.”

The 34-year-old Marquez, sporting dark shades to hide an ugly cut that required eight stitches to close, said he will rest for two months then resume training and probably fight in September or October.

If Pacquiao is still unavailable, then a rematch with fellow Mexican Marco Antonio Barrera will be an option for Marquez.

In their first showdown in March 2007, Marquez beat Barrera, a two-time world champion, by unanimous decision to win the WBC super feather title.

Pacquiao, on the other hand, had beaten Barrera twice. The first was an 11th round knockout in San Antonio in 2003 and the other by unanimous decision last October in Las Vegas.

“I am going to rest for a couple of months and in September or October I can return to fight,” said Marquez, who recovered from three first round knockdowns to salvage a draw with Pacquiao on May 8, 2004.

Marquez’s handlers, Golden Boy Promotions, tendered a $6-million offer to Top Rank chief honcho and Pacquiao handler Bob Arum for an immediate rematch during the post-fight press conference of Pacquiao-Marquez II.

Arum, however, rejected the offer saying that Pacquiao intends to move up and challenge WBC lightweight titlist David Diaz for the crown on June 28.

Even if it pushes through, however, the fight is likely to be moved to a later date as Pacquiao’s nasty cut on the lower right eye brow, which required 10 stitches to close, needs 6-8 weeks to fully heal.

The 76-year-old Arum said he is willing to give Marquez another crack at Pacquiao, but not right away.

For his part, Pacquiao indicated that he’s also open to another fight with Marquez.