Juan Manuel Marquez was extremely disappointed in the split decision loss he suffered to Timothy Bradley in October, and has limited options coming off a loss at 40 years old. Marquez initially seemed as if he were leaning toward retiring, but now is clamoring for another shot at "Desert Storm."
Marquez told BoxingScene.com, "I'm sad for what happened in my last fight, because I needed to win. I was more focused and stronger, but as I look to the future....what motivates me is a rematch with Bradley. Nothing else could take place if I don't carry out this fight. I have to settle this issue with Timothy Bradley, as long as he accepts a rematch, because I want to make it clear who won on the 12th of October."
A rematch doesn't seem to make much sense for Bradley, though, who is proclaiming himself the third-best fighter in the world pound-for-pound. One fight that might make a boatload of money for Marquez could be a fifth fight against Manny Pacquiao, provided the Filipino is able to get by Brandon Rios on November 23rd.
Pacquiao and trainer Freddie Roach have made no secret that they'd be amenable to fighting him, and really want Floyd Mayweather Jr.
"For my fourth fight against Juan Manuel Marquez I was determined to end our rivalry with finality," he said. "In training camp -- and it was one of my best camps -- I was focused on being able to dominate Marquez from the opening bell. I trained hard in camp to attack him from all angles. And though he had his moments early in the fight, I knew I was beating him as the fight wore on. I felt the momentum coming my way and I was hurting him badly. I could see it and feel it. But I got careless."
Marquez has been adamant following his knockout win that the book is closed on his rivalry with Pacquiao. If he's not interested in that fight, and Bradley is looking beyond him, the only realistic fight next could be against the "Siberian Rocky," Ruslan Provodnikov.
Provodnikov floored Bradley in a loss, then knocked out Mike Alvarado in his hometown of Denver. Provodnikov's camp, however, seems resigned to a lack of interest from "Dinamita," and indicated Marquez's outrage at the decision is a way to duck the brawler.
"In all honesty, I think it's just a way to get far far away from Ruslan. Marquez lost almost all of the rounds against Bradley, there should be no rematch," said Vadim Kornilov, Provodnikov's adviser.
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