Top Rank promoter Bob Arum said Juan Manuel Marquez may get his wish for a third bout with ring icon Manny Pacquiao, but only if he can’t get Floyd Mayweather Jr. to fight the pound-for-pound king.
Pacquiao is scheduled to defend his welterweight belt against Shane Mosely at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 7.
World Boxing Organization vice president for Asia and the Pacific Leon Panoncillo has been appointed as the WBO supervisor for that bout.
His next fight after that could be in November, with the world awaiting a Pacquiao-Mayweather tussle.
Arum revealed that he hadn’t had “any contact with Floyd” but that Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones “sat us next to Floyd at the Super Bowl in his box and we had a wonderful afternoon.”
Arum recalled that Mayweather “hugged me and we broke the ice at least socially so maybe something will come of that.”
However, the astute promoter disclosed “we didn’t talk anything about boxing because it wouldn’t have been appropriate.”
However, Arum noted “that didn’t stop actors like Jamie Fox coming over to us and saying ‘Floyd talk to them about fighting Pacquiao’ so let’s see.”
Marquez pulled out of a planned fight with former three time world champion Erik “El Terrible” Morales under the promotional arm of Golden Boy Promotions with whom Marquez is scheduled to discuss his expiring contract.
Arum earlier indicated that if Marquez went to Top Rank, it would be easier to negotiate a possible trilogy with Pacquiao.
In their first clash, Pacquiao dropped Marquez thrice in the opening round but the Mexican counter-punched his way to salvage a somewhat controversial draw after judge Burt Clemens admitted he had scored the first round incorrectly 10-7 when he should have scored it 10-6 for Pacquiao.
The rematch was even more controversial as Pacquiao won by a split decision with a knockdown in round four deciding the fight in the Filipino’s favor.
Pow Salud Studio 