Marquez to face Bradley in September - report
Two previous conquerors of Filipino ring icon Manny Pacquiao are now set to meet each other in the ring.
No less than former four-time world champion Juan Manuel Marquez disclosed Friday that he’s set to duke it out with reigning World Boxing Organization welterweight titleholder ad undefeated Timothy Bradley Jr. on September 14 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.
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Currently ranked third in the pound-for-pound list by The Ring Magazine, Marquez said in an interview with ESPN Deportes Radio that he still has what it takes even at 39.
“I had a meeting and I spoke with my family. The decision was made because I still feel good. I feel capable and I can probably do two or three more fights,” Marquez was quoted as saying by Salvador Rodriguez of boxingscene.com.
Known for his terrific counter-punching skills, Marquez added he chose Bradley, 29, over the reigning WBO interim junior welterweight champion Mike Alvarado mainly because of a rare chance to win another world title in another division.
“They discussed two opponents for September 14: Mike Alvarado and Timothy Bradley. I like challenges, Bradley would be a difficult fight for me. Apart from being world champion it would be a challenge to fight him and win another big challenge title in a fifth division, which for me is something that fills me with pride to have the opportunity to try,” the Mexican was quoted as saying by Rodriguez.
A proposed fifth fight between Marquez and Pacquiao fizzled out after the Mexican’s asking price, rumored to be around $20 million, was deemed too high.
Meanwhile, Bradley’s trainer, Joel Diaz, admitted the American slugger is in for a “very tough fight.”
“That is going to be a very tough fight as you saw from Marquez's fight. For us, it is going to have to be a technical fight. It is a very difficult fight but not impossible,” Diaz was quoted as saying by boxingscene.com’s Ryan Burton.
Still unscathed after 30 professional bouts and ranked at ninth in The Ring’s pound-for-pound chart, Bradley seized the WBO welterweight title with a controversial split decision win against Pacquiao last June.
“The Desert Storm” successfully defended the crown via a unanimous decision against Russian Ruslan Provodnikov–who has served as one of Pacquioa’s sparring partners–via a unanimous decision win last month.
And fighting Marquez “makes sense” for Bradley, as far as Diaz is concerned. “It is a very big fight for us. It is a fight that makes sense with him (Bradley) coming off a win over Pacquiao and then Marquez getting one so I think that they should go at it,” the former Mexican fighter told Burton.
