Marquez is known for his counter-punching skill and for his long-running rivalry with eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao. His popularity soared to all-time high when he knocked out Pacquiao seconds before the end of the sixth round in a thrilling showdown at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada in 2012.
The 43-year-old Mexican counter-puncher has been inactive since his last fight against Mike Alvarado in 2014 due to a recurring knee injury.
Early this year Marquez and his handlers had lengthy fight contract negotiation with Miguel Cotto of Puerto Rico but the talks fell apart due to weight issues. Marquez wanted to have the fight at the welterweight limit of 147 pounds but Cotto, who has been fighting as junior middleweight could only go down as low as 150 pounds.
Marquez, who is now undergoing conditioning exercises under strength and conditioning coach Angel “Memo” Heredia, plans to evaluate the result of his activities under Heredia by the end of the year and then make appropriate decision from there.
“We’ve been working out in the gym with Memo, more fitness than anything else. The body is responding well, but I will not make the decision to return until I’ve been training on a consistent basis and I’ll see what my body tells me,” Marquez said on Golpe a Golpe.
Marquez wants to be doubly sure that his body responds to the demands of a heightened training once it peaks to six to eight hours of gym works.
“I felt good [after training], but let’s see how how the body responds when I have to go to the gym and I have to train every day. When we double up the sessions, six to eight hours of work, then we’ll decide what comes – but we want to make that [farewell] fight,” Marquez said.
Marquez did not say who will be his next opponent but hinted he may consider a fifth fight with longtime foe Manny Pacquiao if the price is right.
