Juan Manuel Marquez has amended his previous declaration that Manny Pacquiao offered him $100 million for a fifth fight. The Mexican now says it was $150 million.
Spending time in Las Vegas before boxing stopped, Marquez talked about Pacquiao’s next career move and previous rematch advances.
Marquez, now 46, firstly gave his opinion on who the Filipino Senator should face in 2020 after defeating Keith Thurman last year.
Juan Manuel Marquez vs Manny Pacquiao
“Maybe it would be that Manny Pacquiao fights with Errol Spence or Terence Crawford,” Marquez told FightHub TV. “It would be a great fight.
“Pacquiao is a legend. Pacquiao is a great fighter. I think it would be a good fight with Pacquiao and Terence Crawford.
Asked if Pacquiao would be favorite to beat Spence after the latter was involved in a serious car accident, Marquez replied: “Maybe, I don’t know.
“I don’t know how Errol Spence in now. How’s (he) now? – Errol Spence is a good fighter. I think Errol Spence has technique, power.
“It’s a difficult fight. It will be a difficult fight for Pacquiao.”
Pushed about a possible comeback to face Floyd Mayweather or Manny Pacquiao in a fifth fight, Marquez was adamant his fighting days were over.
He also mentioned that an extra $50 million on top, which may possibly have been a slip of the tongue.
“Never,” he stated regarding Mayweather, before addressing calls to give Pacquiao a revenge attempt after laying him out in fight four back in 2012.
“When the Pacquiao people told me about the fifth fight for $150 millions, I said ‘no more’. I retired and said no more. No return.
“Maybe I want to play basketball, maybe I want to play football? – It’s a different sport. I have respect for the sport.
The veteran is a ring-master himself, having won world titles in four different weight divisions.
FOUR-WEIGHT
Retiring in 2014 after scoring a 56th victory against Mike Alvarado, ‘Dinamita’ is alongside Jorge Arce, Erik Morales and Canelo as the only other Mexicans to become four-weight rulers.
Marquez fought the best of his generation. The likes of Freddie Norwood and Manuel Medina before his first bout with Pacquiao in 2004.
Orlando Salido and Marco Antonio Barrera, both of whom Marquez defeated, led ‘JMM’ into a second fight with the ‘Pacman’ four years later.
Following a draw, this time Marquez was highly disappointed to lose a controversial decision.
Triumphs against Joel Casamayor and Juan Diaz came just prior to a one-sided reverse against Mayweather before a classic with Michael Katsidis in 2010.
Then came two more encounters with Pacquiao. The first in 2011 took on the same pattern as the second. But one year on Marquez got his revenge.
A supersonic fifth-round haymaker punch ended the argument once and for all, giving Marquez all the satisfaction he needed to hang up his gloves happily.
