Marquez determined to stay at 135, take on Katsidis
Is is better to stay at lightweight and defend your title, or to move up to 140lb to try and take on bigger names, and possibly bigger paydays?
That was the question Juan Manuel Marquez was mulling over this week, vacationing somewhere hot and sunny after a lopsided victory over Juan Diaz in July. According to ESPN’s Dan Rafael, Marquez has decided to remain in the lightweight division at 135 pounds for a possible bout against prospect Michael Katsidis.
The news comes in light of heavy talk on the side Golden Boy, who promotes Marquez, that he, and not Margarito, should have an opportunity to fight Manny Pacquiao. De la Hoya made his case that Marquez was already licensed and deserved a third shot against the Pac-Man, after somehow failing to see how Pacquiao could be the better man even after whooping Marquez two times already.
Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer met up with Marquez in Mexico City, where he caught up with the fighter and learned the details of his decision. Options for Marquez were staying at lightweight and taking on Michael Katsidis (27-2, 22 KOs), Marquez's mandatory challenger and interim titlist, or moving up to junior welterweight for a possible bout with 140-pound titlist Amir Khan.
According to Schaefer, it was an easy decision to make for Marquez, who elected to remain at lightweight. “It was clear. He will stay at 135 pounds,” he said.
The decision may even get Khan going with a bout against Marco Maidana, since he’s on the market for an opponent and Marquez’s decision means one less for him.
Schaefer said: "So now we are going to try to put together the deal for Marquez and Katsidis. h**l of a fight. Toe to toe. Mano a mano.”
If he really wanted to please fans, the English-born Schaefer could probably start by not trying to dabble in Spanish cliches while sipping his margarita. But it would be a solid fight. He continued: “This is a great fight. I'm excited for the fighters and the fans as well. This is going to be non-stop action. Pound for pound, these are two of the most exciting fighters in boxing."
HBO gave Schaefer the date of 27 November, which turns out to be Thanksgiving weekend.
"That's what they gave me. I don't love it. It's not the best date, but it's what we have and we'll make it work."
Schaefer has not discussed details with Katsidis’s camp, but is optimistic something will be worked out despite some resistance being put up for terms. He spoke to Brendon Smith, Katsidis’s trainer before going to see Marquez to inform him of his trip.
"I can't negotiate the purses until I know the HBO license fee, but when I work it out with HBO, then I can go back and forth with the fighters and work out the purses. They [Katsidis’s camp] made it clear to me that this was the fight they wanted. So I had those conversations with them and I told them I needed to see what Marquez wanted to do. Now Marquez has told me what he wants to do and, in the coming days, I will be talking to the parties on both sides and trying to put that fight together."
Well, if there’s anyone who can, it’s Schaefer.
Schaefer said that in the long run Marquez would still be interested in moving up to 140, but that possibility is precluded for the time being. Should he beat Katsidis at 135, there is possibility of fighting faded Mexican star Erik Morales at 140, a fight that would have a massive draw in Mexico.
Morales came out of a two-year retirement recently, by outpointing Jose Alfaro in March. He is slated to take on Willie Limond at junior welterweight on 11 September.
"I already knew Morales was interested,” Schaefer mused. "And I know now that Marquez is interested in it too."
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