Gamer
11-15-2010, 07:22 PM
c/p By Lem Satterfield
In two weeks, Juan Manuel Marquez will defend his WBA/WBO lightweight titles against Michael Katsidis in Las Vegas. If he walks away with the victory, he might land the one fight that he's been hunting for since 2008 - a third showdown with Manny Pacquiao. They fought to a draw in 2004 and Pacquiao won a controversial split decision in 2008. Marquez believes he was robbed in both meetings.
This past Saturday, Pacquiao was 148-pounds by the time he made it to the ring, and won a brutal, one-sided twelve round decision over Antonio Margarito, who weighed 165-pounds after rehydrating from the Friday weigh-in. If a third fight takes place with Marquez, Roach wants it at the welterweight limit.
"We're not going to fight below 147," said Roach. "I want Manny to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner, because he's a much happier fighter, and tonight was a good example. Manny's fought, like six perfect fights in a row at this weight [147 pounds] and looked tremendously well at this class. That's because he's not killing himself to make the weight. The [David] Diaz fight is the last fight that we struggled to make weight for and, since then, he's not had any problems."
If a deal can't be reached with Floyd Mayweather Jr., and if Marquez wants the fight, he has to return to 147-pounds. He took a fight at 147 in September 2009 and was dominated by Floyd Mayweather Jr. for twelve rounds.
"I'd like to fight Marquez one more time because I'd like to shut him up -- but at 147," said Roach. "That's the weight we want to fight at. So if Marquez wants to fight us, that's where we'll do it."
In two weeks, Juan Manuel Marquez will defend his WBA/WBO lightweight titles against Michael Katsidis in Las Vegas. If he walks away with the victory, he might land the one fight that he's been hunting for since 2008 - a third showdown with Manny Pacquiao. They fought to a draw in 2004 and Pacquiao won a controversial split decision in 2008. Marquez believes he was robbed in both meetings.
This past Saturday, Pacquiao was 148-pounds by the time he made it to the ring, and won a brutal, one-sided twelve round decision over Antonio Margarito, who weighed 165-pounds after rehydrating from the Friday weigh-in. If a third fight takes place with Marquez, Roach wants it at the welterweight limit.
"We're not going to fight below 147," said Roach. "I want Manny to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner, because he's a much happier fighter, and tonight was a good example. Manny's fought, like six perfect fights in a row at this weight [147 pounds] and looked tremendously well at this class. That's because he's not killing himself to make the weight. The [David] Diaz fight is the last fight that we struggled to make weight for and, since then, he's not had any problems."
If a deal can't be reached with Floyd Mayweather Jr., and if Marquez wants the fight, he has to return to 147-pounds. He took a fight at 147 in September 2009 and was dominated by Floyd Mayweather Jr. for twelve rounds.
"I'd like to fight Marquez one more time because I'd like to shut him up -- but at 147," said Roach. "That's the weight we want to fight at. So if Marquez wants to fight us, that's where we'll do it."