After losing a controversial and close decision to his chief rival Manny Pacquiao, Juan Manuel Marquez nearly hung up the gloves. Yet, at 38 years old, the flames of competitiveness still burn within the Mexican fighter, and the sting of that last loss has been the catalyst for his return to the ring.
"I considered retiring because everybody knows I want to fight Manny again and that I won the last fight and I feel very angry about that decision," Marquez said.
On Saturday, Marquez faces Ukraine's Serhiy Fedchenko on HBO pay-per-view, not your typical road to a mega fight. Fedchenko is 30-1 — his lone loss a close majority decision three years back. The veteran Marquez knows he is not someone to overlook.
"Fedchenko has a difficult style. I will try to do my job in the ring because Fedchenko is a dangerous fighter," Marquez said. "I have trained very hard for this fight. I train very hard because in the ring, anything can happen. Fedchenko is coming to México wanting to win this fight."
On the same telecast, undefeated Mexican-American Brandon Rios takes on Richard Abril. If Rios wins, he is likely to move up to 140 pounds, and one of the fights he would target is one against Marquez. According to Top Rank CEO Bob Arum, both men have to take care of business, but a clash between the two is in the sights.
"Juan Manuel has his hands full with this Fedchenko. Brandon Rios has a tough fight with the Cuban, and I promise you that within a couple of days after the fights, if each are successful — this is a business — and let’s see if we can put a fight between the two of them together," Arum said.
"First they have to win, and then they have to agree to the fight. We haven’t talked to either of them yet about terms and so forth. We are holding Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, for the match if we make it, but one step at a time. July 14 is the date we are holding it for."
That would put another opponent between Marquez and Pacquiao, who faces a stiff test of his own on June 9 against Timothy Bradley. Marquez has made it clear that his goal is beat Pacquiao outright and no one is going to stand in his way, and that is what Fedchenko has to be prepared to face come Saturday.
"The main reason for me to continue is that I want a rematch with Manny," Marquez said, "and that is the main factor for me to come back. I have the fight on April 14, but I trained very hard again. I think I won the last fight and I am looking for the rematch."
