The hard-hitting light-welterweight has been linked to fights against Manny Pacquiao, Timothy Bradley and Marquez in recent weeks, but with Pacquiao and Bradley 2 announced, all three now seem to be off the table.
“As far as I am aware Marquez never wanted to fight Ruslan,” Kornilov exclusively told World Boxing News.
“I know that the fans and the TV and the promoters would all be happy to make this fight, but Marquez is not willing to take the fight with Ruslan even though I think he could get paid more for this fight than he did against Bradley.”
Kornilov has already moved on to pastures new for Provodnikov’s spring return and believes a clash with former Pacquiao opponent Brandon Rios would be a crowd pleaser for the fans – if the American can make the 140lb limit.
Rios, who has notoriously been tight on the scale at different weights in the past, went up to 147 in gallantly losing to Pacquiao at the back end of 2013 and Provodkinov has already earmarked the ex-lightweight king as a possibility.
“We are interested in a fight with Brandon Rios and we would give him the chance to fight for the title,” said Kornilov. “I think it’s a great opportunity for Brandon and I have discussed this with our promoter Arthur Pelullo, which he agrees.
“But Brandon has to be more professional and start making weight the correct way. I believe his weight category is 140, but I don’t know if he’ll ever make that weight.”
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