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THE
former American manager of Manny Pacquiao thinks a fight
between the Filipino boxing superstar and world champion
Juan Manuel Marquez is still possible, despite the
nagging issue of how much money Marquez deserves to get.
Shelly
Finkel, who helped Pacquiao wiggle out of a promotional
fracas with Murad Muhammad nearly four years ago,
believes money must not be an issue, especially if both
fighters really want the fight to materialize.
“I think
it is important for Manny to fight Marquez next, it is
his next logical opponent before moving up in weight,”
Finkel said in an e-mail.
SHELLY FINKEL says a fight
between Juan Manuel Marquez and Manny Pacquiao, shown
here with Bob Arum, is still possible.
Pacquiao
is also reportedly tinkering with the idea of
challenging World Boxing Council lightweight champion
Juan Diaz.
After
helping to eke out a triumphant court settlement against
Muhammad, Finkel managed Pacquiao for two-and-a-half
years, including two epic ring clashes with Mexican icon
Erik Morales which Pacquiao won emphatically.
“The
money would be of no issue if Manny wants the fight for
I know how to structure the money split,” said Finkel
who refused to give details of his purported structure.
“Manny is the star and the negotiations should reflect
that.”
Finkel
failed to get a contract extension that ended late last
year notwithstanding the arduous effort of the American
boxing figure who personally went to General Santos City
to get a fresh managerial pact.
Marquez,
34, scored a methodical 12-round unanimous decision win
over American challenger Ricardo “Rocky” Juarez held
Saturday at the Desert Diamond Hotel in Tucson, Arizona.
Finkel
also handles Juarez who added that his American ward
will be back soon by campaigning in his regular
featherweight division.
In May
2004 in Las Vegas, Marquez recovered from three
first-round knockdowns to salvage a draw verdict against
Pacquiao. Back then Marquez was defending his
International Boxing Federation and World Boxing
Association featherweight belts, while Pacquiao was
considered as the division’s Peoples’ Champion.
Both
Golden Boy Promotions and Top Rank Inc., which reserved
a March 15, 2008 HBO playdate for Pacquiao, are said to
be still awaiting another marquee fight that may also be
the deciding factor in finally determining the
Filipino’s next foe. That fight is Joan Guzman’s defense
of his World Boxing Organization 130-lb championship
against Humberto Soto on November 17 in Atlantic City.
Guzman
(27-0, 17 knockouts), 31, is an exciting undefeated
prospect who personally challenged Pacquiao to a bout
during the Filipino’s press fight conference after his
second conquest of Barrera.
Soto,
27, (43-5-2, 27 knockouts) is also a potential Pacquiao
foe since the Mexican dealt the Filipino boxer’s kid
brother Bobby a humiliating seventh-round knockout loss
last June in New York. Manny Pacquiao witnessed that
fight at ringside.
Based on
an online poll conducted by a Mexican web site, Soto
also came out as the top Mexican fighter capable of
beating Pacquiao. Soto garnered 51 percent of more than
15,000 respondents, while Marquez was a far third with a
measly 2.5 percent. |
