Marquez has been inactive for over two years following his unanimous decision win over Mike Alvarado in May 2014 at The Forum in Inglewood, California due to recurring knee injury.
The 43-year-old Mexican counter-puncher was scheduled to do a tune-up fight in preparation for a possible clash with Miguel Cotto of Puerto Rico but it failed to gain traction when the Cotto fight appeared uncertain due to disagreement on weight issues.
Marquez ruled out a fifth encounter with his longtime foe Manny Pacquiao after scoring a stunning knockout win over the popular Filipino boxing star. But back in 2014, Marquez did show interest in facing Pacquiao again provided he gets $20 million for a fifth fight. Pacquiao’s promoter Bob Arum balked saying Marquez was pricing himself out after he dangled a $10 million purse.
Late last month Marquez has not decided on whether to retire or continue with his career.
“The truth is that for now there is nothing on my mind. I do not feel that I’m in a position where I can truly say that I’ll return or that were are definitely not going to do anything. We’ll see what happens, we’ll move forward and see what the future holds,” Marquez said.
Controversial strength and conditioning coach Angel “Memo” Heredia in his latest comment on Fytehype.com said he had a conversation with Pacquiao’s trainer Freddie Roach and revealed that the seven-time trainer of the year was really excited about the possibility of a fifth fight.
“He started to get really excited about it because he still wants the fight. He told me that Manny would take that fight in a minute…he would take it right away! They both still want that fight!” Heredia said.
Heredia believes a fifth fight between Pacquiao and Marquez would definitely sell because they were all entertaining and exciting to watch.
It is possible that Marquez is just waiting for the result the upcoming Pacquiao-Vargas fight and he may just face whoever wins. If Vargas pulls off the upset, he will have the opportunity to snatch Vargas’ WBO welterweight title. If Pacquiao wins, he will still have the chance to win his fifth division belt and the opportunity to pocket a huge fight purse.
Still, Marquez needs to do a tune up fight to shed off the rust that may have accumulated during his more than two years of inactivity.
