Marquez or Hatton next in line after Diaz
A race could develop between Juan Manuel Marquez and Ricky Hatton should Manny Pacquiao get past David Diaz in their scheduled bout on June 28 in
Freddie Roach, trainer of the WBC super-featherweight champion from the
That’s after Diaz – of course.
“We want to fight him (Marquez) again,” Roach told Ron Borges of Sweet Science recently. “Pacquiao and Marquez will meet again and it won’t take four years this time.’’
Roach feels that business was left unfinished when Pacquiao defeated Marquez last March 15 in Vegas by the slimmest of margins, a split decision that raised some questions.
“It was too close. A lot of people think Marquez won and rightfully so. It was very close. It could have gone either way. There’s controversy. I still don’t like controversy,” said Roach.
He said a third fight between the two great warriors, at any weight agreeable to both, would be just as close.
“If those guys fought 10 times in a row there would be one point between them either way. They’re both such good fighters and they come in such great shape they know what the other guy’s capable of,” he said.
Still, Roach couldn’t get his mind off a big fight with the bigger Hatton of England.
“My dream fight for Manny is with Ricky Hatton at 140. That would be a great fight for Manny,” said Roach of Hatton, 29, who fights Jun Lazacano of Mexico on May 24 in
It will be for the IBO light-welterweight title, and it comes after Hatton lost to Floyd Mayweather Jr. via TKO last December for the WBC welterweight crown.
Roach said Hatton should be a good fight for Pacquiao, too. “Hatton’s not that big a guy and with their styles it would be all action but Golden Boy (which has signed Hatton) already told me they’re going in a different direction with Hatton.
“They told me not to even think about it but if Manny wins the title at 135 it would make a fight with Hatton at 140 legitimate. Boxing purists love Juan Manuel Marquez because he’s so technically sound,” said Roach.
But a Hatton-Pacquiao is just as good, according to Roach.
“Hatton-Pacquiao would be more of a brawl but fans would love it. It would just be for that one fight. We certainly wouldn’t stay at 140, that’s for sure,” he said.
If Hatton comes first, and it could come sometime in November, Roach said Marquez should wait.
After Hatton, Pacquiao should slide down to the lightweight division (135 lbs) where Marquez should “be waiting” and willing to face the Filipino a third time, even at a catch weight of 133 lbs.
There’s just too many things in store for Pacquiao.
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